To Narnia and Back
by Lexxa24
Summary: Alex has always been jealous of her adopted siblings, the Pevensies, as they had been to the land of Narnia through the wardrobe. But when Alex ends up going to Narnia with her siblings, she discovers that it's much better than what she ever imagined...
1. Chapter 1

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter One~*~Further Journey Than Expected~***

It was another normal day in England. School was it's usual; boring in most lessons, enjoyable in a few. We had only just come back to school after the summer holidays, which I had spent on holiday in Spain with the Pevensies.

I know the Pevensies mainly through Susan. We're the same age and we met in school when we were four, so we've known each other for a good twelve years now, both of us now in our first year of Sixth Form at Saint Finbars in the heart of London. During those twelve years, I've gotten to know all the Pevensie children really well, and not just through Susan, but by living with the family. My parents went missing during the Great Depression in 1930, when I was just five. They were never pronounced dead, and to this day they are still not pronounced dead. I miss them, but not too much because I never really knew them well, due to the fact that you don't usually remember much about your early years. I get flashbacks every now and then, but they hardly tell me anything about my past, so I've just learned to accept it and felt at home with the Pevensies. Michael and Heather Pevensie, the parents of the four children, have taken me in since my parents went missing. They became good friends with my parents when Susan and I met in school, and they had told them that they would take me in if anything happened to them. This is what Heather has told me over the years. But, they're only my guardians, not my adopted parents. As my parents had never been pronounced dead, Heather and Michael were unable to legally adopt, and so they had to settle for being my legal guardians, but they treat me equally to their children, and so I have always felt at home with the Pevensies. But sadly, Michael is off fighting in the war, and we haven't seen him for about a year now. We send letters to him, and he writes letters back, but it's definitely not the same as having him come home from work at about five every evening, and us children welcoming him home as though he's been away for days. I think the boys are taking it much harder than we girls are. But, we're all coping well, we all have each other, and so there's always someone to turn to when we need it.

When the Blitz happened in London about a year ago, we children had to be evacuated from London. Unfortunately, I got separated from the other four when they were allocating places in the countryside for us to stay for a few months. They went off to stay in a massive house with a person named Professor Kirke, whereas I was sent off to stay with a family in a little village. I was absolutely terrified of being separated from my family, but, I was able to sit with them on the train journey at least, which was about an hour before we hit the first stop, and then it was a further half an hour for me, and about another half an hour after that for Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. I was quiet and scared when two members of my new family greeted me at the station. They're names were Mr John Tyler and their seventeen year old son Harry. They both greeted me with a hug to make me feel more comfortable, and it definitely worked. They talked with me all the way back to their lovely house in a small village, and there I met the remainder of their family, Mrs Eleanor Tyler, their thirteen year old son Jason, and their eight year old daughter Rebecca. They really were such lovely people, and they made me feel so much at home by including me in everything they did.

I was reunited with my family a couple of months later back in London, and we had had a lovely meal together on our first day back home as a family; a traditional Sunday Roast, even though it was a Wednesday. Susan, Peter and I had cooked it, and we had a lot of fun in the kitchen while Edmund and Lucy were talking with Heather about various things. We must have sat around the dinner table for about three hours. Well, we did have a three course meal, and we were all exchanging stories about our time away. When it hit eleven in the evening, Heather ushered us off to bed. But, we didn't actually got to bed, instead we sat in mine and Susan's room, talking some more. But, just when I thought no more stories could be told, the other four said they had something really important to tell me. I thought it was going to be something like they met a famous person, or they were planning on doing something important Oh how wrong I was. I remember that conversation well...

Flashback

Peter looked at me and said,

"We weren't at the house the entire time."

I was puzzled. "Oh, so you ran away or something then?"

They all looked at each other, and then back at me. They all had really serious looks on their faces and there were no hints of a smile coming through on any of them. I was starting to get a little scared about what they actually had done.

"Well, not exactly." Susan said.

"We were hiding in a massive wardrobe from the housekeeper. And when we went to the back of the wardrobe, we weren't in it anymore. We were in a whole new world! We came out the back of the wardrobe to find ourselves in a forest, all covered in snow!" Lucy informed me.

I just laughed. I couldn't help it. But I immediately stopped when none of the others joined me.

"What? You can't be serious. It isn't possible."

"It's hard to believe I know, but you know we wouldn't lie. Well, you know Lucy wouldn't lie."

Present

And that was the start of them telling me about the World of Narnia. The ruler was a talking lion called Aslan. Yeah, animals can talk in Narnia. My siblings had defeated a White Witch with an army of creatures. In Narnia there are Fawns, Minotaurs, Centaurs, Dwarfs, Ginats, Unicorns, and many more, including the talking animals and mermaids. It's like a Medieval world they described, with swords, shields, bows and arrows, knights, and also, magic. Yes, magic exists there. But it is a deep magic that can't easily be accessed, and which can't be accessed by just anyone. I didn't really understand it fully. Oh, and Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, they were all crowned the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

It's just so hard to believe though. Of course, I know they're telling the truth because I know when they're lying, Lucy doesn't lie, and I trust them. But I still find it hard to fully believe that they entered a magical land through the back of a wardrobe.

Anyways, enough of that. We had just come out of school, and I wanted to look for a new coat as it would start to get cold soon. We had to wait for the boys though, so that we could get the underground together to Oxford Street.

Susan and I had met up after our last lesson at school, ready to find Lucy. Even though Susan and I are best friend, we have different circles of friends as she's a lot more shy than me when it comes to big groups of people. She likes to sit alone most of the time in school, and I have no problem with that. I mean, she doesn't ignore me or turn me away when I go and sit next to her sometimes, but we mainly hang out outside of school. We also don't share many lessons at all. She enjoys more logical subjects, like Science, Maths, and Geography, whereas I enjoy the more creative subjects, like English and Film.

I noticed Susan was standing by a magazine stand across the road, and the magazine she was reading was most likely the news. A boy then went up to her, and I could tell that she was a bit annoyed that he was talking to her, which made me laugh a little. I decided to not cross the road as I didn't want to ruin the boys' chance of getting a date, and so I waited by the entrance to the underground, when I suddenly saw Lucy rush up the stairs. She spotted me and headed over, out of breath.

"Lucy, are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine. But Peter's at it again." She said, in between her short breaths.

"He's fighting _again_?" She nodded furiously. "Argh! I'll go and try to break it up. Susan's over there, you better go and get her."

She nodded again and ran off, while I went down the stairs into the underground, pushing past a lot of people, apologizing repeatedly to those who I pushed a little too rudely. As I got closer to the platform, I heard a chanting of 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'. I followed the noise, and then found that a big crowd of school kids were gathered on the stairs, blocking the way down to the platform. I pushed past them, trying to get a view. Once, I did, I saw that Peter was fighting three other guys from his school, and he was losing as it wasn't exactly equal numbers.

"Peter!" I tried to get his attention, but the chanting was too loud and I don't think he would have chosen to listen anyway, most likely because he was trying to prove something. Not exactly sure what that was though.

Someone grabbed my arm gently, and I turned my head to see Lucy and Susan standing behind me. I turned back to see that two of the other guys had grabbed Peter and held him, facing us. He noticed me, Susan and Lucy standing there, me and Susan not looking pleased at all, and Lucy looking a bit scared. He was throw backwards onto the floor, and one of the guys jumped on him, punching him in the stomach. I then felt someone push past us, and saw that it was Edmund.

"Edmund!" Lucy shouted, but he didn't acknowledge her. He just jumped onto one of the guys and started helping Peter to fight them off. Just as the fight was starting to get more violent, I heard whistles being blown, then a couple of soldiers came and broke up the fight. While the rest of the school kids all ran in the opposite direction of the soldiers, us girls just stood there, watching our brothers get pulled up and yelled at by the soldiers. They both weren't going to be in a good mood now, especially Peter as he likes to handle things himself. Well, try to at least. He doesn't like Edmund, or anyone for that matter, helping him. I think he thinks of himself of a King too much, and much too proudly. I don't get that vibe from the other three. Maybe it's because Peter's the oldest. I'll never understand.

The boys tidied up their uniform, and then went to sit on a bench in front of the platform, waiting for the train. Susan, Lucy and I went to sit with them, none of us saying anything for a little while, until Edmund broke the silence.

"You're welcome."

Peter scoffed. "I had it sorted." Peter got up, clearly annoyed, as I knew he would be.

"What was it this time?" Susan asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"He bumped me."

"So you hit him?" I asked.

"No. After he bumped me, they tried to make me apologize. That's when I hit him."

Susan wasn't happy at all. "Really? Is it that hard just to walk away?"

"I shouldn't have to. I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?"

"We are kids." Edmund stated the obvious.

"Well I wasn't always." Well, I think we now know the reason behind all the fighting. "It's been a year. How long does he expect us to wait?" He sat back down on the bench with us.

"I think it's time to accept that we live here. It's no use pretending any different." Susan said sternly. She then looked down the platform as we could hear the train coming. "Oh no." She then turned back to us and said, "Pretend you're talking to me."

"We are talking to you." Edmund informed her.

Lucy then jumped up off the bench, yelling "Ow!" pretty loudly.

"Quiet, Lu." Susan said.

"Something pinched me!"

"Hey, stop pulling!" Peter shouted, also getting up off the bench quickly.

"I'm not touching you!" Edmund yelled back.

"Look, would all of you just...What is that?" I felt something pinch me from behind and also got up quickly, looking back at the bench and wall with Lucy and Peter. Edmund and Susan then felt the same thing as they jumped up too. Okay, this is really weird... "What's going on?"

"It feels like magic." Lucy exclaimed, looking excited.

What is going on? I'm not afraid to admit that I was a little scared.

"Quick, everyone hold hands." Susan ordered urgently.

As Edmund was on the end next to Peter, he shouted, "I'm not holding your hand!"

Boys. Peter just grabbed his wrist, ignoring Edmund. I fear that I was gripping Susan's and Peter's hands too hard, but I really was scared, because the train then went whooshing past us at top speed, not making any move to stop. Things were flying everywhere, and then the bricks started to fall out of the wall, tumbling down onto the platform and getting swept up down the tunnel by the speed of the train. I just wanted to close my eyes, to even blink, but I was too scared too, and also too transfixed as to what was going on, No one else on the platform was noticing what was going on, which just freaked me out even more. I found myself getting quite close to Peter because I was so scared. The posters on the other side of the train were starting to get ripped off the walls, and the lights and signs were rattling loudly above.

The most extreme then happened. The bricks, the posters, the lights, the signs and everything were all getting swept down the tunnel with the train, forming an even bigger tunnel. I looked through the windows at the other side of the train, and saw that the wall was disappearing, and was being replaced by a beach, with a pure blue ocean. That time I did blink to see if my eyes were playing tricks on me. I secretly hoped they were. But nope, no luck there. I then found myself standing on something softer, and the air was much more warm. The platform, the walls, the everything, were all gone, and it had been replaced by a beach, the ocean, and a cave, which is what we were all standing in.

We all dropped hands, and the others walked forwards slightly, and I know that they knew exactly where we were. I know too, but I just can't believe it. The Pevensies all began to grin, and then they ran off into the sun, stripping off their shoes, socks, and jackets. They all ran into the water and started to play around, all shouting happily. Me, I was still in the cave, not blinking this time because I finally realized that they were telling the truth all along. I always knew they were, but I knew I would never fully believe it. Until now at least. I didn't know whether to panic, or to grin as much as the others did and go and join them in the ocean.

Treading carefully and slowly, as though if I took a step, I would fall right out of this world. I walked into the light, and had to squint as it was blinding. It was really warm, and the ocean was so blue that I thought we were in the Mediterranean or something.

After looking round at almost everything, I noticed Peter was running back towards me. He stopped in front of me, still grinning.

"Hey, are you alright?" I nodded. "Do you know where we are?"

I then looked at him. "I have a hunch."

"That hunch is probably right."

We stood for a while just looking at each other, me waiting for my mind to take in the fact that we were in Narnia, and Peter to wait for me to realize that we were in Narnia. It didn't take long, as I grinned and pushed gently past him, running towards the others. I could hear him laugh and run after me. I stripped off my shoes, socks and jacket, just as the others had done, and jumped into the water. We were splashing each other for a few minutes and pushing each other down into the water. It was a lot of fun, and the warmth on our skin was perfect, but it still didn't quite feel that I was in Narnia, finally.

As we started to become tired, I pushed my hair out of my face and noticed that Edmund was looking up at the cliff.

"What is it, Ed?" Peter asked.

"Where do you suppose we are?"

Peter looked shocked. "Well, where do you think!"

"Well, I don't remember any ruins in Narnia."

We all looked up at the cliff to see that there were loads of ruins on the edge of the cliff, among a field of grass.

"Let's go and check it out." Peter instructed, heading towards the cliff to find a way up, which wasn't that hard to find as there was a path leading up to the top of the cliff just a short walk down the beach.

Whilst looking around, I said,

"So you guys really were telling the truth about everything after all."

They all stopped and turned to look at me. I could tell that they were all a little hurt by what I had said, in the fact that I had said it as though I had never believed them before now.

"Did you think we were lying to you?" Peter asked.

"No, I knew you weren't lying, but it was pretty hard to believe. Any one of you would've been the same if your siblings told you that they had spent twenty five years in a magical land that they found in the back of a wardrobe when it was only a few months that they had been apart." I explained, not wanting them to think that I didn't believe them at all.

"Everything we told you was true. And now that you're here too, you can fully believe it." Lucy smiled at me and I smiled back, giving her a sideways hug, showing her that I was happy to be here with them.

Peter smiled at me also, coming over to give me a hug, and then we all carried on walking up the path to the top of the cliffs to inspect the ruins.

While we walked up, I looked at Peter, who was walking a few feet in front of me. I had always thought that he was really handsome and gorgeous, and his perfect, gentlemanly, and kind personality didn't help with the feelings I had had for him for a few years now. I thought my crush on him had gone away a few months ago, but now, looking at him in the way I used to, I know that it hasn't gone away. It's really weird that I have a crush on him because he is my adopted brother, and yet I fancy him. It's just a wrong combination. But then again, you can't help who you like.

We finally reached the top of the cliff, and I could actually look somewhere else besides a cliff, an ocean, and Peter. It was a beautiful sight I've got to say, and it probably isn't a beautiful sight to the people that live in Narnia. There were ruins scattered around everywhere, and they were covered in overgrown foliage, which was also incredibly beautiful. Flowers of all different colours were in patches across the grass, making the area seem alive. I turned and looked around, trying to take in everything that I saw. Peter walked up some ruined stairs and stood at the top, looking over the spread out ruins, probably trying to work out where we were, but I obviously couldn't make a guess as I had never been here before.

Lucy had picked an apple from a tree and was eating it, heading over to the edge of the cliff to look at the ocean. I on the other hand was walking slowly around, tracing my fingertips over some of the bigger ruins.

"Wonder who lived here." I heard Edmund think out loud.

Susan answered him. "I think we did."

As I was walking around, I suddenly stepped on something small and solid. I moved my foot off of it and saw that it was a gold chess piece. I picked it up and inspected it. Luckily I hadn't damaged it with my foot.

"Hey guys. Does this belong to any of you?" I was actually just addressing Edmund as I knew he loved playing chess. I held it out for him to take as we all came together in a kind of circle on one of the grass patches of the site. Edmund took it from me and said,

"That's mine. From my chess set."

"Which chess set?" Peter wondered.

"Well I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?" Edmund answered back, looking at my finding.

Lucy then suddenly turned around, whispered to herself, "Can't be." and ran off towards one of the bigger ruins.

"Lu?" Susan called in wonderment. We rushed after her, me stopping in front of them all when Lucy had placed Peter, Susan and Edmund on different parts of the concrete ground. I was still stood on the grassy patch of the area, wondering what Lucy had suddenly discovered.

"Imagine walls. And columns there. And a glass roof." She took her place beside Susan on the end, and they all looked out past me. I turned my head to see what they were looking at, but I didn't understand what Lucy had suddenly realized, or remembered. I turned back towards them, completely confused, until Peter uttered the words, "Cair Paravel." and then I knew exactly where we were as I could picture what Cair Paravel used to look like, only because Susan had drawn me a picture of it when they returned from their journey last year. I could now roughly see where I would be standing if the place was still alive. I was standing were the hall would be, and when I looked towards the others again, I realized that they would be sitting on their thrones.

I decided to break the silence. "This was where you were crowned?" I asked, slowly walking up towards them and coming to stand by Lucy.

"Yes it is," Lucy answered me. "But what's happened to it?" I could tell that she looked a bit upset about the destruction of her Narnian home. Edmund then walked away from where he had been positioned and looked at part of a ruin.

"Catapults." He informed us. "This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked."

After a while of looking around the rest of the ruins, Susan and I found part of a door that was hidden behind a stone block. We tried to move it, but it was much too heavy for us. So, we called on the boys. They took over from us, as we went to stand with Lucy. They managed, after some difficulty, to move the stone block, to reveal a wooden door behind it. Peter tried to push the door open, but it wouldn't budge. But, he was able to pull apart some of the door, because it was so rotten, and reach onto the other side to unlock the door. Once open, we saw that it was a staircase that lead down into darkness. I didn't really fancy going down there without some form of light. Peter was probably thinking what I was because he grabbed a few twigs from the ground, and then ripped off a bit of his shirt and wrapped the material around the bunch of twigs.

"Don't suppose you have any matches, do you?" He asked us, mainly talking to Ed because he'd most likely have them more than us girls would.

"No, but..." Edmund said, rummaging in his bag for something. "...would this help?" He had pulled a torch from his bag, making us girls laugh a little.

Peter smiled and said, "You might have mentioned that a bit sooner." Edmund grinned and went down the stairs first, the torch lighting up the dark passage. Peter threw the twigs and the piece of his shirt on the ground, and motioned for us girls to go in before him.

We followed Edmund down the stairs and found that it lead onto a spiralling staircase. After the first flight of the spiral staircase, we saw that below us on the next level was a kind of dome. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy carried on down the stairs, while I stayed where I was and looked around at the small dome. There were four statues situated under four aches, with a huge trunk sitting in front of each statue. There were also other things around the room, but not as noticeable as the four statues.

I soon carried on down the stairs and joined the others on the bottom level, but as I didn't have a trunk to rummage through, I just walked round the room and looked at everything else that I could find. It was at that moment that I truly did feel like I didn't belong, and that I was the odd one out. Everyone else had all the memories to sort through, whereas I had nothing to do or nothing to remember. I made me a little upset for some reason, but I don't know why.

Peter snapped me out of my rather depressing thoughts.

"I can't believe it. It's all still here."

"Who're the statues of?" I asked, but I think I had already guessed the answer by the way that each of them ran to their own trunks.

"They're of us, when we were older." Peter answered me, looking over his shoulder to smile at me.

"Wow, you really were royal." I stated, not quite believing it. I walked over to Lucy and looked through her trunk with her, and she showed me some of her things from when she was here the last time. She then held up one of the dresses she found in her trunk against her.

"I was so tall." She said, looking down at the material, and saw that a good six or seven inches were trailing on the floor in front of her.

"Well, you were older then." Susan said.

"As opposed to hundreds of year later, when you're younger." Edmund joined in, making us all laugh at how ridiculous it sounded.

"This is very confusing. Even though you've explained it all to me plenty of times." I said, walking over to Susan, who looked like she was trying to find something specific in in her trunk. She had a frown on her face. "What is it?"

"My horn." Susan answered. "I must have left it on my saddle the day we went back." Susan and I had another quick look through her trunk, to make sure that she didn't just look over it.

"When Aslan bears his teeth," I heard Peter read out and I looked over to see that he was reading the inscription on his sword. "Winter meets it's death"

"When he shakes his mane," Lucy carried on, knowing the words off by heart, "We shall have spring again. Everyone we knew...Mr Tumnus and the Beavers...they're all gone."

"I think it's time we found out what's going on." Peter stated, when something came across my mind.

"Hang on, you guys." They all stopped looking through their trunks and turned to look at me. "Why am I here? Obviously, I can understand why you guys are back here because you were-are the Kings and Queens here. But me? I have no title here. No purpose."

"Don't be so sure that you don't have a purpose here. When we first came here, we had no idea why we were here." Susan said, using her logical mind to come to a conclusion.

"And we turned out to be the Kings and Queens of this place." Edmund carried on what Susan was heading towards.

"Who knows, maybe you were called here for a reason. Which is the most likely source. You just haven't found out yet why you were brought here." Lucy added. I could see they were all trying to make me feel better, and so far it was working, thankfully. I started to feel less like just a tag along.

"Don't worry, Alex." Peter said, coming over and standing in front of me. "We're not just gonna leave you here while we go off and find out why we've been called back. We're going to go as a team." He smiled at me and then gave me a hug, which is what I needed. He pulled back and smiled at me, making sure that I was okay.

"Thank you." I said, smiling back at him. "You guys sure do know how to make me feel better."

The others had found clothes that were their size from inside their trunks to change into. The boys went into a separate part of the chamber to change, and then went back outside into the sunshine while us girls got changed.

"Alex, over here." Lucy called, and I went over to see what she wanted. "I think I have some things in here that might fit you. From when I was older, of course." We both laughed, while Lucy pulled out a light blue dress and held it up against me, checking to see if the size was right. "I think that'll work!"

I took it from her whilst thanking her, and quickly changed into it, feeling a little strange at first as I had never worn one of these types of dresses before, but it did look good.

"It's a perfect fit!" Susan stated.

"She had to have one of mine because I grew taller than you." Lucy said to Susan, making us all laugh. She then turned back to me. "You look like a true Narnian."

"I feel like one too. At least now I'll fit in more."

"You would've fit in anyway. That I can guarantee." Susan told me.

I smiled at her in thanks, and I then noticed that Susan had put her Bow and Arrows on her body, and Lucy had a dagger attached round her waist. "Um, are there any spare weapons? I would feel safer with one, I think. Being a black belt in Martial Arts, I can be good with a sword I guess. More than anything else anyways."

Susan started looking round. "Yeah, good idea. Let's have a look aro-"

Lucy cut over her. "I don't remember these belonging to anyone..." Lucy walked over to a corner and picked up two medium length swords. They were a beautiful silver, with some green and purple patterns subtly going up the centre of the blades.

"You're right." Susan answered, inspecting the swords. "These aren't ours, or the boys' either. Why are they here? No one else came into this chamber but us."

"It was as though these were left for you, Alex." Lucy said to me.

But how could they have been left for me? No one knew I would come here. It was only coincidence that I came here. "Maybe you're just thinking too much into this. These can't have been left for me because no one from this world knows that I exist. These were probably yours but you can't remember or something." I tried to imply that I knew what I was talking about, which I don't think came off very well.

"No, Alex, we know our weapons and these aren't them. We've already got our weapons with us. And you would naturally fights with two medium length swords because of your Martial Arts status." The difference between me and Susan was that she actually know what she was talking about and it did make some sort of sense.

"...Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough." That was all that I could say. What else could you possibly say in a situation like that?

I attached them to either side of my waist, and I thought they were going to be a lot heavier than they turned out to be. I could hardly feel that they were on my waist.

We soon went upstairs to find the boys. As we came out, they both looked at us, but then their eyes lingered on me, probably checking out my new look.

"Wow, Alex, you look great!" Edmund exclaimed.

"You fit right in." Peter said, giving me a sideways hug, which was when he noticed the swords I had attached to my waist. "Wow, where did you get those?"

"Lucy found them in the Treasure Vault. She and Susan seem to think that they were left for me. But I don't see how that's possible. Only unless someone called for me. But, again, not possible because no one here knows who I am."

"It's just something we don't know the answer to yet. Don't worry about it. Something will make sense as to what's going on."

And on that note, Peter led the way out of the ruins, and we started to walk alongside the river that was heading inland. This was all beginning to feel very real, and to tell you the truth, I was actually excited about what was going to happen in the near future.


	2. Chapter 2

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Two~*~The Change of Narnia~***

We had been travelling alongside the river for quite some time now. I'm not sure how long, but it's got to be about three hours at least. But from the looks of the position of the sun in the sky, it was only about midday. I had been looking around at everything; the beautiful woodland that surrounded both sides of the river, the huge grass patches, the stunning blue colour of the fast flowing river, the various colours of the flowers at our feet, and the mountains that I could see far in the distance. This world truly is astonishing.

"Something isn't right." Peter announced, pulling me out of my satisfying gaze around this new world. "It's too quiet." He then stopped in his tracks and turned around, making us all stop also. "Where is everyone? The Fauns. The Nymphs. The Lions. The Tigers, Dwarfs, Dryads. They should be all over this place."

Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen one animal since we got here. Maybe a bird or two, but that was about it. "How much time has actually gone by since you were last here?"

"I'm thinking hundreds and hundreds of years." Peter answered me, and my eyes grew wide at hearing this information.

"How is that possible? You guys only came here last year."

"Time works differently here than in our world. You can never tell how much time passes here when you're in England. But when you're here, time in England stands still." Peter explained, while we all carried on walking again.

"Wow. That's really strange. But I can't believe hundreds of years have passed since you were last here."

After some time, we had reached a little beach, where the river spread out a bit to form a small lake, and then shrunk into it's original size again over the other side of the small lake. But in the middle of the lake, two men, who looked like soldiers, were holding a gagged and tied up dwarf. By the looks of it, they were about to drop the dwarf into the lake. The others had also noticed this as Susan quickly fired an arrow and hit the boat. She quickly put another arrow to the string and shouted,

"Drop him!"

Peter and Edmund drew their swords, eyeing the two soldiers. They then swung the dwarf a little and let go, making the dwarf fall into the water and start to sink. I almost went to run to the water to save the dwarf, but Edmund and Peter were already running for the water, so I stayed back with Lucy and Susan. One of the soldiers picked up a crossbow and made aim to fire, but Susan beat him to it and hit him in the chest with an arrow, making him fall backwards into the water. The other one looked like he got scared and decided to jump into the water also, and start to swim in the opposite direction. While Peter dived into the water to save the dwarf, I ran over to help Edmund pull the soldiers' abandoned boat to shore.

Once we had managed to pull the heavy boat to the shore, Peter surfaced, holding the dwarf with one arm. He swam to shore and Edmund and I took the dwarf off of him, and laying him down gently on the sand. Lucy dropped to her knees beside the dwarf and cut the bindings on his wrists. He pulled the gag off and coughed up some water, while Lucy stood back up. When the Dwarf got up onto his feet, he didn't look very happy at all.

"'Drop him'?" He was more angry than thankful. Susan looked annoyed that he hadn't shown any gratitude for us saving him from drowning.

"A simple thank you would suffice." She told him.

"They were doing fine drowning me without your help." He answered back.

"Maybe we should have let them." Peter said.

"Why were they trying to kill you anyway?" Lucy decided to ask the obvious question.

"They're Telmarines. That's what they do." The dwarf answered, trying to wring some of the water out of his clothing.

"Telmarines? In Narnia?" Edmund, and the others, were confused. I, on the other hand, didn't really know what Telmarines were...

"Where have you been for the last few hundred years?" He was clearly annoyed that we didn't know what was going on in Narnia, presently.

"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy said.

Just as the dwarf was about to say something else, he noticed the embroidery on Peter's sword, which was the Lion's head on the end of the handle. "Oh you've got to be kidding me. You're it? You're the Kings and Queens of old?"

Peter held out his hand for the dwarf to shake. "High King Peter...the Magnificent." The dwarf didn't take his hand.

"Probably could have left out the last bit." Susan commented, laughing slightly. The dwarf himself was now chuckling.

"Probably." He said, agreeing with Susan.

During this whole conversation, I was standing slightly to the side of the others, so that the dwarf was only addressing them. I felt perfectly fine just standing on the sidelines listening in. I, after all, didn't really understand the full concept of Telmarines in Narnia. But the dwarf had then turned to me, and starred at me, making me feel uncomfortable.

"I don't remember there being five Kings and Queens. Who're you?" He asked me. I didn't know what to say so I just kept quiet.

"She's a Queen in her own way. You don't wanna mess with her." Peter replied almost immediately.

"She doesn't look threatening at all." The dwarf said, looking back at me with a scoff. "Or strong. Like she can't even handle a weapon." Okay, that annoyed me. And it looked like it annoyed Peter as well because he drew his sword and pointed it at the dwarf, making him take his look away from me and turn to Peter.

"Oh, you don't want to do that, boy." The dwarf told Peter.

"Not me. Her." Peter said, looking at me. My eyes widened. Peter took hold of the blade end of the sword, holding out the handle for the dwarf to take. Is he actually joking?

What made it worse was that the dwarf actually took the sword and turned to face me, looking completely confident. I on the other hand, just stood there, really not wanting to draw my swords and fight. But, when I looked at Peter, he gave a nod, with a smile. I turned back to the dwarf, still not feeling comfortable, but drew both my swords nonetheless. May as well try. It's not like the others are going to let the dwarf seriously hurt me. And I don't think Peter would've let the dwarf fight me in the first place if he didn't think that I had a fair chance.

Standing there with my swords drawn, I suddenly felt a little more confident, and determined. He took the first swing, and I blocked it with my left sword. With my right sword, I then took a swing at him, but he managed to duck under my attack. We had a couple more blows like that, Peter's sword coming too close to me than I would have liked. Thankfully I jumped back at one point, otherwise I would have a rather painful gash across my stomach. This, somehow, gave me an energy drive, and I didn't hold back. I gave it all my best, and after I few more swings, I had hit his sword so hard with one of mine that it flew right out of his hand and landed on the sand with a 'clang'. I pointed one of my swords at him, and I had a smug grin on my face, and I didn't even care. He looked at me shocked; you could tell that he definitely thought that I was going to lose. He fell onto his knees and exclaimed,

"Beards and bedsteads! Maybe that horn worked after all."

"What horn?" Susan asked, but with a tone as though she knew what horn it was.

After wondering about a certain horn for a couple of minutes, we decided to get into the abandoned boat left by the soldiers, and row down the river Glasswater. Well, as Peter is a gentleman, he rowed the boat down Glasswater, while the rest of us were seated around him, looking around at the different Narnia. Even I could feel that it wasn't what it used to be. Trumpkin, Lucy, and Susan were at the front of the boat, Peter in the middle, and then Edmund and I at the back. Everything was just so still and silent. From what the others had told me about Narnia from when they first went there, nothing was ever still, or quiet. You could hear the birds sing, animals rustling in the bushes at your feet, all sorts of creatures enjoying the spring, summer, and autumn seasons as soon as the Witch's powers were beginning to weaken. But now, nothing. This wasn't the Narnia I had been told about at all. It made me sad that I couldn't see Narnia in peace.

The river we were travelling on had huge cliffs on either side of it, topped with deep and still forests on both sides. Lucy also noticed this greatly,

"They're so still." She almost whispered, looking up at the trees.

The Dwarf, who's name we found out was Trumpkin, looked at Lucy as though she had pointed out the blindingly obvious. "They're trees. What do you expect?"

"They used to dance." She replied.

I noticed Peter turned his head slightly to listen in on their conversation, not that it was particularly private because it was the only noise that could be heard. Not even a single bird could be heard chirping.

Trumpkin also looked up at the trees. "It wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Those that survived retreated to the woods. And the trees have retreated so deeply inside themselves that no one has heard from them since."

Lucy was clearly upset by this news. "I don't understand. How could Aslan have let this happen?"

"Aslan?" Trumpkin questioned. "I thought he abandoned us after you lot did."

Peter intervened at this point. "We didn't mean to leave you know."

"Doesn't make much difference now, does it?" Trumpkin replied.

"Get us to the Narnians," Peter turned his head back round, and he had a rather stern look on his face, much like when he was trying to prove things back home and look all 'King-like'. "And it will."

I put my hand on his in comfort, when I noticed that he started to look a bit stressed too.

"Everything's gonna be okay. I know I can't see the future, but you've done this before. You led an army into battle and you won. You can do it again." I tried to be as positive as possible, even though I really did have no idea how this would turn out, especially as Aslan or any creatures were no where to be seen or found. But, Peter smiled at me and thanked me. I took my hand back so that he could row properly. I then noticed that Susan was looking at me from over her shoulder and she smiled at me when she saw that I was looking at her also. I smiled back at her and she turned her round. I hope she hadn't noticed how close I had been with Peter, or the amount of times that we had hugged. I don't know if she would really approve of me fancying her brother. But, you never know.

We travelled for a further hour I'd say, and all during that time, there was no sign at all of life in Narnia. The moral in our group now had almost reached zero, and none of us had said anything for the rest of the trip, probably because we were all too sad and depressed to say anything.

We reached the shore eventually and Peter and Edmund jumped out onto the stones and pebbles that made up the bank of the river. They held out their hands to help us girls out of the boat, and then Trumpkin just jumped down by himself. Just as Lucy was looking around and walking slightly towards the woods, we all pulled on the rope attached to the front of the boat and pulled it ashore, far enough to ensure that it wasn't going to float on the water. Just then I heard Lucy say,

"Hello there! - It's alright, we're friends." I turned round to see who she was talking to, and my eyes widened and I instinctively grabbed the nearest person next to me, which happened to be Edmund and Peter. What made me grab them in horror was that Lucy was heading towards a huge black bear. Edmund had been shocked when I suddenly grabbed him and looked to see what I was looking at. When he saw, he relaxed and laughed a little. Peter did the same.

"It's okay. Animals are Narnians. They can talk. Remember it was one of the billions of things we told you about this world." Peter was smiling at me when I looked at him. I breathed out a sigh of relief and let go of the boys, feeling a little embarrassed at my outburst.

"Sorry. Forgot." I said, trying to hide my embarrassment. I looked back over at Lucy and saw that the bear had stood up on it's hind-legs, and was growling a little at Lucy.

"Don't move, your Majesty!" Trumpkin yelled, and we all turned round to look at him, including Lucy. What was he talking about? I turned back and then did have a valid reason to have a reaction because the bear was charging at Lucy. She was running towards us, but then tripped and fell to the ground.

"Stay away from her!" Susan was pointing her bow and arrow at the bear. But she didn't shoot and the bear didn't stop charging.

"Shoot! Susan shoot!" I shouted, running behind Peter and Edmund towards Lucy, our swords all drawn. Just as the bear reaches her and is about to attack her, an arrow was shot right into it's heart. It let out a roaring growl and then collapsed, dead. I turned round and saw that it wasn't Susan who had shot an arrow; it was Trumpkin.

"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked, confused.

"I expect he was hungry." Was Trumpkin's reply.

Peter reached Lucy first and grabbed her under the arm, pulling her up. He wrapped an arm round her shoulder while she stood facing him, wanting to be protected and comforted. Thankfully, she didn't look hurt from what I could see. Peter still pointed his sword at the bear, not wanting to take any chances, for now we were in more danger than we thought we were.

"He was wild." Edmund stated, not quite believing it.

Peter looked at him. "I don't think he could talk at all."

Trumpkin had gone over to the bear, and was circling it, also making sure that it was actually dead. "Get treated like a dumb animal long enough and that's what you become." He then drew his knife, kneeling next to the animal. "You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember." He then proceeded to stick the knife into the bears heart, making Lucy grimace and turn her head into Peter's chest.

A little while later, we were deep into the forest, Peter leading us through the trees towards where Prince Caspian was last seen by Trumpkin. Trumpkin had told us that just before he was captured by the Telmarines, Prince Caspian turned up outside Trumpkin's and his friends', Nikabrik and Trufflehunter, home, not meaning too. A group of Telmarine soldiers were chasing Caspian through the land of Narnia, but Trumpkin wasn't really sure why. Nikabrik knocked out Caspian, and took him into their home, which was situated underneath one of the biggest trees in the woods. But, we do know that Caspian is good and even though he is a Telmarine, he isn't on their side. So, we're setting out to find him, and the Narnians.

As we were walking through a patch of huge rocks and boulders, Susan announced, "I don't remember this way at all."

"Well, I'm completely lost. Been lost for a while now." I said, really having no idea where we were or where we were going; I'm just hoping that Peter knows where he's going.

"That's the problem with girls." Peter said, "Can't carry a map in your heads." You can just hear the smugness in his voice.

"That's because our heads have something in them." Lucy retorted, making me and Susan laugh.

"Lucy's got a very good point, Peter." I told him, "And um, who found the way when you were lost in Oxford? Who found the way around in York? Oh, and on our holiday in Canada? I think you'll find that all three of them were Lucy, Susan, and I."

Peter didn't really have a good reply to that as he just settled with, "...I knew exactly where we were..." Clearly a lie. Susan, Lucy, and I laughed, as we just loved to prove him wrong.

"I wish he'd just listen to the DLF." Susan said.

"DLF?" Edmund questioned.

"Dear Little Friend." Lucy stated for us. I turned my head and laughed along with the girls, and saw that Edmund was trying to hide his grin. 'DLF' then stopped,

"Well, that's not as all patronizing, is it?"

I looked back ahead, still with the grin on my face, but it went as soon as I saw that Peter had stopped on a rock passage, looking round in all directions. Great, we're lost.

"I'm not lost." Peter said, sternly. I must've said that last part out loud without realizing.

"Sure." I answered.

"No, you're just going the wrong way." Trumpkin announced.

Peter turned to face him.

"You saw you last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Wood, and the quickest way to get there is to cross at the River Rush."

"But unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts." Trumpkin replied, and he seemed to know what he was talking about. But Peter wouldn't give up.

"That explains it then. You're mistaken."

Peter decided to turn left and headed on in that direction, giving the rest of us no choice but to follow him.

We continued walking for quite some time, until we came to a gorge. A very high one I might add. We all stood towards the edge and looked at the running water below.

"Over hundreds of years, water eroded the earth's soil..." Susan explained.

"Oh, shut up." Clearly Peter was now in a bad mood as he had been proved wrong yet again. I don't think he's having a very good day if you ask me.

"Is there a way down?" Edmund asked Trumpkin.

"Yeah, falling." Trumpkin announced. "Come. There's a ford at Beruna. Any of you mind swimming?"

"Anythings better than walking."

We all turned and were about to follow Trumpkin, when Lucy said,

"Aslan? -It's Aslan! It's Aslan over there!" We all turned round at the sound of his name. Well, can't you see? He's right..." Lucy turned back round to where she claimed Aslan was. But nothing was there. "...there." He smile faded.

"Do you see him now?" Trumpkin asked, but you could tell that he thought that she was just seeing things. Lucy turned to him.

"I'm not crazy. He was there. And he wanted us to follow him." She looked at Peter.

"I'm sure there are any numbers of lions in this wood. Just like that bear." Lucy looked really annoyed.

"I think I know Aslan when I see him."

"Look, I'm not about to jump off a cliff after someone that doesn't exist." Trumpkin stated.

All the time that this conversation went on, I was looking at where Lucy supposedly saw Aslan. And for some strange reason, I suddenly believed her. I don't know what it was, but a feeling came over me. For one thing I knew for certain: Lucy doesn't lie. Edmund seemed to realize this too.

"Last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid."

Peter looked over at Lucy.

"Why wouldn't I have seen him?"

Lucy looked down, then up again, contemplating.

"Maybe you weren't looking."

"I'm sorry, Lu." Peter said, and turned to follow Trumpkin towards Beruna. Susan and Edmund then followed, but they didn't seem too happy about how Peter had just dismissed Lucy, probably thinking back to the time when they all didn't believe Lucy when she said that she had found a snowy forest inside a wardrobe.

Lucy looked back to where she saw Aslan, and I could tell that she was almost on the verge of tears. It really gets to her when anyone, especially her siblings, don't believe her. I walked over to her and gave her a comforting hug. She hugged me tightly back.

"I believe you, Lucy. Even though I didn't see him and have never met him, I know that he was there." She pulled back and looked at me shocked, but also with some relief on her face.

"How do you know that?"

"No idea. But I know that I do." I smiled at her, a really comforting and friendly smile, hoping to make her feel better. It seemed to work pretty well because she also cracked a smile and seemed a little happier. I took her hand in comfort and turned to follow the others. Lucy turned her head and gave the place one last look, then turned back and proceeded to follow.

We soon reached the Ford of Beruna, but we definitely weren't going to cross the river this way because it was swarming with Telmarine soldiers building a bridge across the river. Us six hid behind a big stack of logs, making sure that we weren't in sight of any of the Telmarines. We soon had to duck even more behind them because a couple of men on horses came out of the woods to the left just in front of our hiding place. I heard Susan whisper to Peter.

"Maybe this wasn't the best way to come, after all."

Peter looked around to see if there was anyway to get across the river without being seen, but it was no use. There were Telmarines as far as the eye could see down the river.

"We have to turn back." I whispered to Peter, who was crouched next to me.

"I can't think of anywhere else to cross." He stated. I decided to input my idea.

"I think we should go back to the gorge where Lucy saw Aslan. That's our best bet."

"How do you know that she actually saw Aslan? She could be mistaken." He replied.

"You only think she's mistaken because you didn't see him yourself." Peter didn't have a reply for that and so he just looked behind him. "Look, you know that Lucy wouldn't announce such a thing if she didn't know for sure that she saw it. Just like with Narnia inside the wardrobe. It's the most bizarre thing ever, but she was still telling the truth." Peter looked back at me. "You need to have more faith in her. She may only be eleven, but she's a smart girl."

"Where do you think you saw Aslan?" Peter asked Lucy, when we were back at the gorge. I gave Peter a bit of a dark look when he used the word 'think'. Lucy also wished that he didn't use that word.

"I wish you'd all stop acting like grown-ups. I didn't think I saw him, I did see him."

Trumpkin mumbled,

"I am a grown-up."

Lucy started slowly walking close to the edge. "It was right around..." The ground under her feet then gave way and Lucy fell with a scream.

"Lucy!" Susan and I shouted, all of us rushing over to where she fell. But, she had only fallen a few feet and was sitting on the mount of dirt that collapsed with her. "...here." She announced, looking up at us. We all leaned a little bit further over the edge and saw that there was a narrow winding path running down the side of the cliff, leading into the gorge. Peter went first down where Lucy fell, helping her to her feet. Lucy then led the way down the path, with Trumpkin close behind her. We all followed after, almost always looking at our feet to watch where we were putting them.

Once we were all at the bottom, we started to walk along the rocks that were sticking out of the very shallow water down the valley. We all managed to slip a couple of times, but thankfully we were so close together that someone was able to steady us if we did slip. It didn't take long for us to find that there was another narrow path heading up the other side of the gorge and into more trees. We headed up that, and once we were at the top, I breathed a sigh of relief. Doing things like that does scare me, especially as I'm so clumsy. It's hard to think that a martial artists can be clumsy. I'm probably the only one...

It was starting to get quite dark once we got into the woods, and so we decided that it was time to rest for the night. Peter, Trumpkin and Edmund wandered off to find some fire wood, while us girls tried to find something to eat. We found some apple trees and cherry trees close to where we were going to stay for the night. The fruit wasn't much, but at least it settled our stomachs. And to be honest with you, I wasn't hungry at all, but the others would worry if I didn't eat anything considering we hadn't eaten all day.

We returned to the grassy patch soon after, our arms full with fruit. We came back to find that the boys had made a fire.

"This is all we could find. It's not much, but at least it's food." I announced, as we pull all the food onto the floor.

"No, it's great. Nice work, girls." Peter said, helping himself to an apple. We all dug into the food, me only eating an apple and a couple of cherries. I'm probably not hungry because I'm in a completely different environment. This tends to happen to me when I go on holiday or something. I still eat, just not as much as I should eat.

"So, Alex, how're you liking Narnia so far?" Edmund asked me, who was starting his fourth apple.

"It's so beautiful. I never realized how astonishing it was until I actually saw it myself."

"I'm sorry that it's not a very happy place at the moment though." Peter said.

"It will be soon enough. I can't wait to see all the magnificent creatures that live here. I just hope that they don't treat me differently from the rest of you."

"Why would they treat you differently?" Susan asked.

"Well, I'm not exactly a Queen, am I?"

"That won't give them a reason to treat you any differently. Apart from Caspian, the rest of them aren't going to be royalty. I think you're just worrying too much." Peter answered, smiling before he ate a cherry. I laughed a little.

"I probably am."

Soon after, the talk died down as everyone was falling asleep. Well, at least I thought everyone was asleep until Susan prove me otherwise.

"Lucy, Alex, you awake?" She whispered.

"Hmm." Lucy and I replied together.

"Why do you think I couldn't see Aslan?" Susan asked.

Lucy sat up. "You believe me?" She was a little shocked.

"Well, we got across the gorge."

"I don't know. Maybe you don't really want to see Aslan."

Susan breathed out deeply. "You always knew we'd be coming back here, didn't you?"

"I hoped so." Lucy replied.

"I just got used to the idea of living in England."

"But you're happy to be here, aren't you?" Lucy was confused.

"While it lasts." Susan then turned and laid with her back to me and Lucy. I thought that Susan wasn't showing that much excitement of being here. She does like home very much, and she's the only one out of the four that I think actually wants to stay in England and not really visit here much. Lucy turned to me.

"Are you happy to be here?"

"Of course I am. I've secretly wanted to come here ever since you guys mentioned that you had been here." She smiled at me and then laid back down, and closing her eyes. I didn't feel like going to sleep yet, and so I starred up at the night sky through the gaps in the tree tops, and thought about many things that night. I didn't get any sleep at all. It didn't even occur to me that I should try to go to sleep. I was thinking about way to many things for me to think about going to sleep. I was thinking about why I was here, what was going to happen tomorrow, how long it would take us to find this Prince Caspian and the Narnians, and many other things. I also got up a couple of times and wandered around, but I stayed in sight of the others, as I didn't know what could be wandering the woods at this time of night.


	3. Chapter 3

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Three~*~Narnians~***

By the time that the sun was just shining through the woods to the east, I realized that it was dawn and that I hadn't got even a minute of sleep. No wonder I feel tired. But, looks like I'm not going to be able to get any sleep now. The others, on the other hand, were still enjoying their night sleep. I figured that it was a little too early to wake them, so I decided to have a walk around. Stretch my legs after laying and sitting down for many hours. I had stretched my legs during the night for a little bit, but I didn't feel comfortable walking around in a woods I had no navigation for, or walking around at the dead of night, or walking around in a strange country that I never been to before. And also, who knows what sort of creatures could be lurking behind every shadow. And by the way that bear was just going to eat Lucy, I have no idea whether talking animals even exist anymore.

I didn't wander far, just far enough that I could hear the others calling for me if they wondered where I had gone. The trees were all so still. I knew that this forest was near enough dead, if not dead already. I just can't understand how people could be so heartless as to destroy such beautiful things that are the creatures of the forest, and the creatures of the whole of Narnia. When Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy talked to me about Narnia when they returned last year, even I could feel from their words that it was such a magical place where everyone has this amazing energy and spirit, and that everyone and everything was at peace in Narnia. I do wish that I could have seen it like that, the way that it should be. I have a feeling that I will someday, even if it's not this time that I'm here. If the other four were able to come here for a second time, then hopefully I have the honour of returning to this glorious land.

Just then, snapping me out of my thoughts, I heard Peter emit a battle cry not far from where I was walking around slowly. Following this, I heard the clanging of swords. Without even realizing it, and despite my lack of energy from sleep deprivation, I was running as fast as I could towards the noise, and I was a very fast runner so I was able to run up a couple of small mounds and see about 50ft away Peter fighting another guy who was around Peter's age. I then jumped onto a path through the woods towards where Peter was fighting, and saw that I had jumped in front of Susan, Edmund, and Trumpkin. I lost sight of Peter as we had to run down a hill to get over to where they were, when I heard Lucy,

"No! Stop!" I heard her shout, in her young and innocent voice.

Just when I was near the top, I shouted,

"Peter!" We soon reached the top of the other hill and I stopped next to Lucy, putting my arm around her shoulder. In all the rush, I hadn't noticed all of the creatures that were scattered around Peter and the other guy. To tell you the truth, I was a little frightened of the number of creatures that were suddenly there, considering I hadn't seen any all of yesterday, and now there was around a hundred or two gathered round. But, I soon focused on the two guys standing in the middle, hoping that they wouldn't start fighting again. The other guy then looked at the sword he held in his hand, which I noticed was Peter's.

"High King Peter?" He asked, looking up at Peter. He had a rich, and not to mention beautiful, accent, that I would associate with a Spanish one if he was in my world. But, it's not actually a Spanish accent because he's from somewhere in Narnia.

"I believe you called." answered Peter.

The other guy didn't seem too impressed. "Well, yes, but...I thought you'd be older."

"Well, if you'd like, we can come back in a few years."

The other guy changed his mind. "No! No, that's alright. You're just not what I expected." He said with a bit a smile, looking around at all of us. He then looked at me, and I could have just melted on the spot right then. He was absolutely gorgeous. His eyes were almost black, he had shoulder length dark brown hair, and he was a little tanned. So basically the opposite of Peter. He seemed to look at me a little longer than he did the rest of them, so I looked at Peter so that I wouldn't blush in front of this guy that I hadn't even known for more than a minute.

"Neither are you." Edmund pulled me back to the situation, and I noticed that he was looking at a Minotaur, which was gripping what looked like a battle axe, but I was no expert on weapons, especially ones that didn't exist in my world. A badger then spoke,

"A common enemy unties even the oldest of foes."

Once I knew that everything seemed to be safe, I withdrew my arm from Lucy's shoulders, and adjusted my sword belt as it had become a little uncomfortable from all that running I had to do.

"We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege." A mouse, who had a little sword belt himself and a knights feather attached behind his ear, bowed to Peter. "Our hearts and swords are at your service." Lucy then leaned slightly towards me and whispered,

"Oh my gosh, he is so cute!" The mouse didn't take this comment well, as he drew his sword and looked around for the person who had given him that comment.

"Who said that?"

"...Sorry." Lucy said, looking a little embarrassed. The mouse soon bowed when he saw who it was.

"Oh, uh...Your Majesty. With the greatest respect...I do believe courageous, courteous, or chivalrous might more befit a knight of Narnia."

I'm sorry but he was really cute, not that I was going to say that outloud.

"Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade." Peter announced, smiling down at the mouse.

"Yes indeed." Agreed the mouse. "And I have recently put it to good use acquiring weapons for your army, sire."

"Good." Peter said, turning to the other guy. "Because we're going to need every sword we can get." He had his serious face on again, but this time I knew that it was needed.

"Well then, you'll probably be wanting yours back."

He held out Peter's sword for him to take, which Peter did and he sheathed it. Trumpkin went over to stand by the badger and another dwarf, and I had a feeling that these were the friends that he lived with.

"I think a little introductions are in order." Peter announced, turning to face me, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund. "This is Prince Caspian, the one who blew the horn." He's a prince? Wow...Okay I feel even more intimidated being surrounded by so many royalties... "And these are my siblings." Peter pointed to each one of us, and gave Prince Caspian our names. I noticed that Caspian's eyes rested on me a little longer than they did on the others.

"I don't remember there being five Kings and Queens..." He said, and I feel uneasy again, so I looked towards the ground and then to the side. I really was beginning to hate people asking that about me. I wonder why they look at me in particularly. It's as though they know that it's automatically me who isn't one of the Queens. Must be how different I look from the others...

"Alex is a Queen of Narnia. Even if she hasn't had the official ceremony. Don't you dare treat her as though she isn't." I heard Peter say, and I heard him take out his sword. I looked back up at him and saw that he was pointing his sword at Caspian. I smiled a little with warmth at what Peter said about me. He didn't have to say it, yet he did. See why I like him?

"No, no, I didn't mean any offense. I was just curious." Caspian looked at me and smiled apologetically, and I gave a little smile back. Peter saw that I was okay, and re-sheathed his sword. He then led the way out of the 'gathering', Caspian close behind him, and then the rest of us followed.

"Are you alright, Alex?" Susan asked, as she put her hand on my shoulder as we walked along.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks. It was sweet of Peter to say that, even though it's not true." I said back.

"You are one of us, Alex. Don't ever forget that. We don't see you differently just because you didn't come to Narnia with us the first time. You're our family, and you always will be."

I smiled at her and gave her a big hug, briefly stopping in the long line of people and creatures. "Thank you. That means a lot."

She smiled back, and we quickened our pace so that we were now near the front.

We had been walking only for about ten minutes or so, when I found myself walking next to a centaur called Glenstorm. He was really tall, probably about 9ft I'd say, but he was incredibly nice. We were having a pleasant conversation about all the different types of creatures of Narnia (I had obviously asked the question), and he seemed more than pleased to impart his knowledge onto me.

Susan and Edmund were walking in front of me and Glenstorm, behind Peter and Caspian, who were leading the way, obviously. I really hope that they don't start having a rivalry because they both want to be in charge. But, if I know Peter, he will want to be the leader and make all the plans and decisions about almost everything.

Anyway, I looked behind to check to see if Lucy was okay (She was walking with the noble mouse, who's name I learnt was Reepicheep), while I was still engaged in conversation with Glenstorm. We had just begun to talk about Dryads, when I noticed that Caspian had stopped to the side of the path that Peter was leading us on, and he was looking at me. A gave slight smile, but I wasn't sure why he was standing there. Once I had reached him, he began to walk on the other side of me.

"We shall continue this discussion later, Queen Alexandra." Glenstrom announced, and gave me a headbow. He then retreated to walk with a Minotaur, who was a few paces behind us. I turned back to the front.

"I wish no one would call me that."

"Why?" Caspian asked. "You are a Queen of Narnia."

"No, I'm not." I said, looking at him seriously. "I think Peter just introduced me as a Queen because he doesn't want me to feel left out from the rest of them. I've never been here before, never saved Narnia, never been crowned, never met Aslan."

I could tell that Caspian didn't really know what to say to this, and honestly, I didn't really want him to say anything about it. Instead, he said,

"Well, um, I didn't get the chance to apologize about earlier. I didn't mean any offense when I asked about you."

I shook my head. "No, don't worry about it. People have been wondering who I am ever since I got here with the actual Kings and Queens of this place. I'll probably continue to get asked it."

"People will see that you're helping. I don't think it'll matter whether you're royal or not. You're helping to restore Narnia, and I think that's all that matters."

Aww, he was sweet. I smiled up at him in thanks, but I wasn't sure what to say to that. We walked in silence for bit, and then I felt the need to have to break it. "So, you're a Prince, huh?" I said with a smile, looking up at him. He was taller than Peter, by a few inches I would say. So Caspian's probably about five inches taller than me, making him about 6'1".

"Beyond these woods, yes."

"So, why did you call the others? Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, I mean."

Before he could answer, Peter had stood on a mount of rocks, facing the rest of us. We all stopped close to where he was standing, waiting for him to say what he was wanting to.

"We will travel until dusk, and then we will find somewhere to rest for the night. We have a couple of days of travelling to do before we reach Aslan's How." He then got down off of the rocks, and looked over towards me and Caspian. Caspian was just about to answer my question, when Peter came over and held out his hand for me to take. "Come and walk upfront with me. I'll tell you some more things about Narnia." I took his hand, and I turned my head to bid Caspian goodbye, and gave him a heartful smile this time. He returned it, and then went to walk alongside Edmund and Susan, engaging them in conversation. I turned back towards the front and walked with Peter. When Peter didn't drop my hand, I pulled my hand out his, and pretended to sort out my hair. It's not that I didn't want to hold his hand (believe me I did!), but I didn't want anyone suspecting something. I don't think I could deal with that at the moment. It's things like that that he does that makes me think that he could possibly return my feelings. But I could be mistaking it for the protective big brother type. I don't really know about these things, so it's not surprising that I can't figure this out.

By dusk, we had found a big enough space in the trees where we could all rest for the night. Once everyone had sat down for a while and had a rest from the long walk, they all went off on their own ways to get their dinner. I didn't really want to know what they did to get their food, so I distracted myself by wandering off to find a fruit tree. It didn't take as long as I thought it would; I found a clump of them just a few minutes walk away. I collected oranges, lemons, limes, peaches, apples, pears, and cherries. Obviously, I couldn't carry them all back with me with just my two arms, so I was lucky when Lucy, Susan, and Edmund had come to help me. We brought all the fruit back, and when Peter and Caspian had sorted a few fires out for our friends and companions, we all settled down to eat, us humans enjoying our fruit.

It was a pleasant evening, with everyone chatting among themselves, and I heard various verses of laughter, and so the mood was happy and positive, which wasn't what I was expecting, given the circumstances. We got to know Caspian a little more, as we were curious as to why he had run away from his uncle, and what his life had been like. It was really interesting to hear about his life, but it sounds like he hasn't had the best life because his mother died in childbirth, and then his father died when Caspian was about seven. He was raised by his uncle and aunt, and it was all at peace, until a couple of days ago. He found out that his aunt had given birth to a son, and therefore, Miraz (Caspian's uncle) wanted Caspian dead so that Miraz could have the throne, and that when he retired, his own son could continue in ruling. His professor had woken him up just in time for them to escape through the window before ten soldiers came into Caspian's room, all armed with crossbows, ready to kill him. He thankfully escaped and ran into the Narnian's, and is now gathering an army so that he can claim his throne, as it is rightfully his.

Just when we were going to tell Caspian all about England and our lives, we noticed that every conversation but ours had ceased; everyone was asleep. The moon was out after all, and so we decided that we would tell our life story some other time.

Before I knew it, I had woken up. I didn't even remember falling asleep. I must have been tired considering the lack of sleep I got last night. But when I looked up at the sky through the gaps in the trees, I found that I had only been asleep for about an hour or so. I sighed heavily, blowing some of my fringe out of my eyes as I did so. Aw well, at least I got some sleep at least. That counts for something I guess. I sat up and looked around. Everyone was asleep, some of the men snoring, which made me smile. The company was a lot better than last night, mainly because it made me feel safer.

I then looked behind me, and noticed that Caspian was also sitting up, his back facing me. He was sitting on the edge of one of the hills, looking up towards the sky. I got up and went over to him, careful not to tread on any tails or hands or feet. I touched Caspian's shoulder lightly when I reached him, as not to scare him, not that he probably would get scared because he sounds incredibly brave to me. I sat down next to him.

"Couldn't sleep either?" I asked, getting comfortable.

He looked at me as I sat down, smiling. "No. Thinking about too many things."

I nodded my head. "I think I must have been aswell because I don't even remember falling asleep, which doesn't really count as sleep because it was only an hour. I feel more tired than I did before I went to sleep. So what're you thinking about?"

"Just about everything that's happened over the past few days. I can't believe it's come to this. I'm not strong enough to beat Miraz."

"You have us. And you have the Narnians. We're all on your side. You're the one who's in the right. The throne isn't even his. Your father was the King, and you are the future king. And from what I can see, you're gonna be a pretty outstanding King." I gave him a reassuring smile, which you could also see in my eyes too. There's just something about Caspian. Although I'm not sure what it is quite yet.

"Thank you. It's nice to hear that someone thinks that."

"I think more people think that than you know."

He smiled, and I'm glad to see that he was at least happy at the moment. "But anyway, enough about me. What about you? Tell me about your world. I didn't get the chance to ask you guys earlier."

I was more than eager to share with him about the world I'm from. "I come from Earth." Caspian just looked at me blankly, which made me laugh a little. "Earth is one of nine plants, the only planet that holds life form. Earth is very much like this world, in terms of it's geography; made up of water, land, deserts, mountain ranges, forests, beaches, everything really. I come from a small island on Earth called England. Now, in terms of creatures, people, machinery, architecture, clothing, travel, and some others things, it's very different. Back in England, there are cars, skyscrapers, trains, aeroplanes, ships, guns, no swords or bow and arrows, no castles that Kings and Queens live in, they live in Palaces. We don't use horses for travelling long distances. There are cameras, telephones, televisions, radios, roads, and many many other things that would take me years to talk about."

I looked at Caspian, to see that he really did have no idea what any of these things are. "You see, on Earth, we are very skilled in our scientific knowledge. Our scientists have found many things within technology that advances out society. Take a gun for example. It has replaced bows and arrows." I looked ahead for a target. "You see that tree in that grassy patch over there? About a hundred metres away? Well, if you fire an arrow at it, it'll get there in a few seconds. But, if you pull a trigger on a gun, it'll get there like that." I clicked my fingers on 'that'. Caspian was still looking at the target I had picked.

"Wow..." Caspian said, and I could tell he was impressed. "So, it's more affective than a bow and arrow?"

I nodded, "Yeah, basically."

"That's incredible." He said, turning back to look at me.

"To be honest, this place is more incredible. I could really get used to this place. It's a lot better than back home."

"Surely this place can't be better than home. Haven't you had a good life on Earth?" He asked, confused as to why I would immediately prefer Narnia to England.

"Well, umm..." I was debating whether to tell him exactly why, as it was quite personal, but I decided that it wouldn't do any harm. "I've never felt as though I've fitted in with Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and their family."

"But you are their family."

I nodded. "I know, but not biologically." He furrowed his eyebrows, and so I had to explain. "My parents went missing when I was only five, in a time period called the Great Depression. They were never found, or pronounced dead, even to this day. I knew Susan from school; we're in the same class. Her parents and my parents were really good friends, and so when they went missing, Susan's parents took me in without a second thought. They treat as though I am one of their children, which made me feel at home. But I was never adopted because the Government didn't allow it, as my parents weren't pronounced dead. Two years ago, a world war broke out, and it's still going on now. Last year, England were being bombed by another country called Germany, and so it most children in London, the place where I live, had to be evacuated to the country, for their safety. As I wasn't related to the Pevensies officially, we got separated. While Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy went to stay at a huge manor in the country, I went to stay with another family in a small village. I mean, don't get me wrong, the family I stayed with were so lovely, and welcomed me warmly into their home, but I missed the others immensely. That was when they came to Narnia for the first time. Once we were all reunited back in London a few months later, they told me all about Narnia. Of course, it took a while for me to believe that they had travelled to another world through a wardrobe, and spent 25 years there, yet no time had passed here. But, eventually I did. And knowing that they had spent this time together without me, made me feel even more left out. So when I came here with them a couple of days ago, I finally felt like I was a part of things. But knowing that they are royalties here, doesn't make me feel at ease, but it makes me feel happier that I can now share this land with them. In England, I've never felt as though I truly belonged. But here, I somehow do."

After I had finished the recall of my life, I got a little sad, but I also got happier. Caspian then took my hand in his, providing me with comfort. I wouldn't know what to say if someone had just told me their rather unhappy life story, but he seemed to not be that type.

"I know how it feels to not feel as though you belong somewhere, and to lose their parents. But I promise you, good things come out of every bad thing. Like with your parents going missing, you found a family who deeply cares for you, and a mother and father who seem as though they look at you as though you are their own. And four incredible siblings, and best friends. And with them coming here without you the first time, you were able to come here later, and still feel a big part of this world. You will be remembered for centuries. I promise you." I looked at him, and their wasn't an element of doubt in his voice. I smiled at him, and then looked down when I found myself starring into his dark eyes for a long time. "I still don't know why I'm here though. I have no purpose."

"I wouldn't say you have no purpose here. The other four were brought here for a big purpose, and I'm sure you are too. You'll find that reason out when it's the right time."

That made a lot of sense, but I still wanted to know why I was here. That's been the main things on my mind since we got here. But I guess I'm just gonna have to be patient. Caspian and I talked for a few more hours, about a lot of random things. To be honest I can't even remember half of the things that we talked about. We just had one of those conversations that flowed into another and another and another, and not really knowing that it did so. It was very nice to be able to talk to someone I had known for a day that easily. He is a great person, and I'm glad to have met him.


	4. Chapter 4

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Four~*~Journey Through Narnia~***

I, again, had only slept for an hour last night. I had fallen asleep just before sunrise, and so when I woke up, I figured it was time for us to get moving if we wanted to reach Aslan's How by tomorrow. But, I wasn't really in the mood to get up quite yet, so I just looked around. I noticed that a couple of creatures were awake and were just relaxing like I was. I looked to my left and saw that Caspian was sleeping next to me, but not overly close. I looked back at the tree tops and sighed deeply. I was really starting to feel the effects of over-tiredness.

I knew that if I didn't get up now I would never get up, and so I pulled myself onto my feet, and walked over to where Peter was sleeping. I smiled at his sleeping form, and sat on the grass next to him, our bodies facing each other.

"Peter. Peter wake up." I put my hand on his side and shook him slightly, smiling again when he opened his eyes and sat up slowly. "Morning." He then gave a huge yawn, but tried to cover it up behind his hand. I grinned and he smiled once he finished yawning, holding my hand which was was on his side.

"Morning to you too." He said.

I looked towards the sun. "We better get going. If we wanna reach Aslan's How by tomorrow." I said.

He nodded and stood up, gripping both my hands with his and pulling me up also. I brushed myself off, and looked around to see who else needed waking. I then noticed that Caspian was now awake, and he was standing up, adjusting his shirt. I walked back over to him.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

He smiled when I greeted him. "Yes, very well. How about yourself?"

I shook my head. "Only slept for about an hour. But thank you for last night. The super long talk we had about near enough everything."

"You're very welcome. You're a very easy person to talk to. So thank you also." I smiled and gave him a little hug, but then realized that maybe I had overstepped my actions because he is a prince after all, even though me and my siblings don't address him as Prince Caspian. I quickly let go, but I don't think he minded the hug considering he returned it. I turned round to see that Peter had been waking everyone up. Caspian and I helped wake up the last few people, and when everyone had time to get on their feet and stretch, Peter was leading us further into the forest. Caspian went ahead with him, while Susan and I walked together behind them.

By midday, we had gained a bigger army by about fifteen, as we had met various Narnians on the way, including a herd of about eight centaurs, a group of three bears, and a pack of wolves. I got a little scared when we bumped into the wolf pack, because the alpha male was HUGE. His head came at least equal height to my ribs, but he was very friendly.

Once we had filled ourselves with food and water, we walked on. Peter was leading us along the edge of a cliff, which on one side was the thickest forest I had ever seen (it was too thick to even have a comfortable journey through it) and a drop, followed by huge river on the other side. I was very conscious of where my footing was going. I was walking next to the alpha male of the wolf pack, who's name I learnt was Zuro. He was telling me about how he had travelled all over Narnia, gathering fellow wolf-Narnians, and hoping that he would live to see the day when the Kings and Queens of old returned to Narnia. And, he was very curious about me, considering I had never been here before. And he then told me that I would become as Legendary as the Kings and Queens of Old, which did scare me a little to tell the truth. Just as I was about to ask him why this would be, I had stepped on a loose rock and lost my footing, falling over the edge of the cliff.

**Third Persons POV**

As she fell, she tried to grab another rock, but missed, as she was too frantic and panicky in her actions. Zuro had fast reflexes, and had instantly tried to grab some of her clothing in his teeth, but the speed that Alex was falling didn't enable the teeth to make a grip, and instead just ripped Alex's sleeve. Before Alex could make another grab at the cliff, her stomach collided with a sharp rock jutting out of the cliff, and she also hit her head on it as she came into contact with it, knocking her unconscious. She soon fell into the water below, still unconscious.

Throughout the time Alex was falling, the rest of the Narnians had noticed that she had fallen over the edge. Caspian and Peter had yelled her name and were sprinting along the edge of the cliff, Caspian in front as he was faster than Peter, trying to find some way of getting down to her. Zuro had leapt down the cliff face from rock to rock, as being a wolf, he had these skills that humans couldn't attain. Just as Susan, Lucy, Edmund, and the majority of the Narnians were following Caspian and Peter, Zuro had taken a leap into the water, and dived under, as well as wolves could anyway. A few seconds later, Caspian and Peter had discarded their swords and weapons on the pebbles that made up a tiny beach, and were running into the water, trying to get to Alex as quickly as possible. Zuro resurfaced, with a still unconscious Alex on his back, and he began swimming towards the shore. Caspian managed to get to Alex first and took her off Zuro's back, whilst thanking him. Caspian carried her to the shore, and laid her gently on the pebbles. Susan reached them and knelt down, placing Alex's head on her lap and checking her breathing. Alex's dress was stained with blood

"She's not breathing." Susan said panicking.

"She will be in a minute." Peter pinched Alex's nose and breathed two deep breathes into her mouth, and then did chest compressions eight times. He repeated this twice, and Alex then coughed out a good deal amount of water. She opened her eyes, and her breathing was deep, and slightly winded.

**Alex's POV**

"Alex? Alex?"

I looked around me, and I could see that my siblings and Caspian were all towering over me, and I caught a glimpse of the rest of the Narnians. Everyone was looking at me. I tried to sit up, but Peter placed one of his hands on my shoulder and told me to stay put. I'm glad he did because when I tried to move, pain erupted from my stomach and I winced. I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Peter then brushed the wet hair out of my face, and was smiling down at me.

"I thought we had lost you."

I just smiled, and put my hand on his, and then looked to see that my dress was stained with blood. The pain was easing, so I smiled a little more and looked at Lucy, who I could see had been crying.

"Sorry about your dress." She laughed a little with me, loosening the seriousness of the mood. I tried to sit up again, and managed to, despite Peter and Caspian trying to not let me. "What happened?" I asked, only remembering slipping over the edge.

"You hit a few rocks on the way down. You fell into the water unconscious." Peter told me, not letting go of me. "Zuro jumped in after you and got you to shore. We then had to get you breathing again." I looked at Zuro, who was standing near us.

"Thank you, Zuro. I owe you my life."

Zuro walked forwards a little, smiled, and then gave a little head bow. "You owe me nothing in return, Miss Alexandra."

"There must be something I can do."

"There is not. I'll be content to know that you will heal well."

I wanted to go over to him and give him a hug, but I couldn't get up on my own. "Thank you, so much. I'll be eternally thankful." Zuro gave another head bow, along with another smile, which I returned. Peter then turned towards the Narnians.

"We'll rest here for a while." Many Narnians came over to see if I was okay, and I got more embarrassed with each person who approached me. For a martial artist, I really am clumsy. When it was just me, my siblings, and Caspian, I felt more at ease.

"I need to change. I can't travel in this."

"Did either of you girls bring any spare dresses?" Edmund asked Lucy and Susan.

Susan nodded, and for the first time I noticed a small bag she had slung over her back. Her Bow and Arrows were covering it. "Are you able to walk though? That injury looks serious."

I shook my head. "It's not serious. Just a couple of scratches."

"Just a couple of scratches? Alex, your dress is covered in blood."

"I don't want to make a big deal out of this. I'll heal. Now I just need to change and we can be on our way." I attempted to stand up on my own, but that didn't work as I felt weak, but thankfully Peter grabbed me before I could fall back down.

"Let me help you." He offered. I looked at him in horror.

"No way! You're not seeing me change!"

"I wasn't going to look." He argued back, but it was a light hearted argument. Susan put her arm around my waist and I put my arm over her shoulders. Lucy come on my other side and helped as much as she could, but I couldn't really lean on her as she's tiny. I turned my head, and mouthed "Thank you." to Peter and Caspian, and they knew that it was in regards of saving my life.

Susan and Lucy helped me round the corner, and towards a small waterfall, out of sight of everyone else. I sat down on a rock, and Susan got out the spare dress. It was a forest green colour, and very beautiful. I managed to get the top half of my dress down, and I grimaced when I saw my wound. Okay it was a lot worse than I thought. It was a deep gash, which had been bleeding obviously, but thankfully had stopped now. Susan had put our shirts into the bag also, the ones that we had been wearing when we first came here. Lucy grabbed one of them and went to the waters edge and got it damp. She came back over and started to try to clean the wound, me of course wincing as she did so. Why do I get myself into these situations? Honestly.

Once I was changed, washed, and relatively better, we were on our way once more to Aslan's How. As I was having a lot of trouble walking, Glenstorm selflessly offered to let me ride on his back for as long as I needed. I felt bad having to do this, as I'm sure it's not in a centaur's honour or nature to have a human ride their back. I wouldn't have asked him to do such a thing, but considering he offered, I figured that he was comfortable in me doing so. Peter tried to lead the army through the edge of the forest, as he didn't want anyone else falling down the cliff. Glenstorm and I travelled behind Caspian and Peter, with Susan, Edmund and Lucy behind. I felt awful though, with them all getting tired and aching, while I was fine because I was getting a lift.

We travelled for what felt like days, but it had only been several hours, as I noticed that the sun was quite near the horizon. Peter decided that we had travelled far enough for today, and we found a nice cosy spot on a grassy patch at the edge of the thick woods. I'm glad I was able to have a long rest from walking and moving about, as my stomach was feeling a bit better. And I found, when we stopped, that I was able to walk around. As long as I didn't make any sudden movements, I was okay.

We were all pretty hungry as we had hardly eaten all day, and so Lucy, Susan, a few centaurs, a few fauns, and myself gathered some lemons, limes, apples, pears, peaches, and grapefruit, from a nearby patch of various fruit trees. We also collected some nuts and berries to add to the small choice of food. The bags were quite heavy to carry back, but we managed it. Once back at the 'camp', everyone was at work, either making camp fires, bringing back other forms of food, or making sticks into spears.

We watched the boys fish in the river with the tigers, hoping to catch a wide variety of fish for dinner. We girls wanted to help, but of course the boys insisted on doing it themselves, probably because it made them look manly. They did manage to catch a lot of fish though, while Susan and I busied ourselves afterwards by preparing them for everyone. Centaurs, dwarfs, and fauns were helping us out also.

"How's your stomach doing? Is it still hurting as much?" Susan asked me when we were preparing the fish.

"Not really. I'm conscious of it, but it doesn't hurt if I don't make any sudden movements." I answered, concentrating on what I was doing with the knife.

She stayed silent for a bit, and then said, "You should've seen the way Caspian legged it down that cliff to jump in after you."

I looked up at her. "Whadda you mean?" I asked, having missed everything as I had knocked myself out.

"He just looked so worried and petrified. He showed a lot of care for someone he'd only known for about a day." She was smiling at me, and I knew what she was hinting at.

"Well...I'm sure he would've looked the same if it was you or Lucy who had fallen." I told her, looking back down at the fish.

"He probably would have done. But, there was something different in the way he acted, and the way he looked at you when Peter gave you mouth-to-mouth." My head snapped up.

"Peter what?" I asked, shocked.

"You weren't breathing when Zuro and Caspian pulled you from the water, and so Peter had to get you breathing again."

I looked away, still in shock. I wonder why he didn't say anything about it earlier. I remember his head being close to mine when I woke up, but I figured that was just because he was worried or something.

"Well, I think I owe him a bigger thank you than I thought. That and a thank you to Caspian too."

"I'm sure they both know that you're very thankful. Although, I would just tell Caspian again anyway because it's an excuse to go and have a conversation with him." I grinned and looked at Susan.

"Susan, do I sense that my sister and best friend has a crush on the dear Prince?" I then laughed, which made her grin. We then both looked over at Caspian, and found that he was carrying an armful of sticks and logs over to the centre to create another camp fire.

"He definitely is fanciable, I'll give you that. But no, I don't see him that way really. Plus, I've only known him for a day. Getting to know a guy's personality is what I like to do first. How about you?"

"I've talked to him quite a lot so I feel like I know him well. We, um, when everyone else had fallen asleep last night, I found that Caspian was still awake, and so we talked for what must have been hours about ourselves and what was going on. So I think me and Caspian know each other pretty well now. And he's absolutely gorgeous which is a bonus." We laughed again. Caspian then looked over, after he had put all the logs on the ground, and found us looking at him. We quickly turned round and pretended to be preoccupied, but we found ourselves just laughing, despite us being a little embarrassed that we were caught looking at him.

Just as our laughter died down slightly, Caspian was crouching in between us, and Susan and I had to bite our lips to stop from laughing again.

"Are you girls okay with preparing dinner?"

"Yeah, we're doing good, thank you." Susan said, as I couldn't find my voice because I was still laughing slightly. I had to stop myself from laughing.

"Is there anything I can do to make the job easier for you?" That accent of his was to die for.

I picked up a few plates (they were actually rocks that we had stacked and washed over with water because we obviously didn't have any plates) of fish and held them out to Caspian.

"You could start passing out the food to everyone. That would be a big help."

"No problem." He took the plates from me and flashed us a smile, and then headed over to the crowds of creatures, handing out the food.

Me and Susan looked at each other again, and giggled, feeling like young teenagers with a new crush. I had to admit that it did relax the atmosphere a lot though, which I think is what we needed because of what happened with me earlier, and with the bigger picture of what's going on with Narnia.

Later on in the evening, once we were all fed and watered, I was sitting on a rock, looking over at the magnificent view of mountains, forests, and the sunset. Everything was starting to quieten down as creatures were retiring for the day, and there was less chatter among them. Lucy was one of the first to fall asleep, soon followed by many other Narnians. I was super tired by this point, but I wanted to watch the sunset as this was the first time that I was able to see an open area of Narnia, as we had rested in the forest for the past two nights. Apart from my fall, it's been a good day overall, especially with getting to know some of the Narnians a little more, which mainly applied to Zuro and Glenstorm. I had also been able to get a moment alone with Caspian. I had gone with him to collect more firewood, but he wouldn't let me carry any because of my injury. I'd told him how grateful I was for him jumping in after me, and that I definitely owed him my life. He acted just the same as Zuro did, and said that I didn't owe him anything and that he just wished me to heal well. It annoyed me a little that they had both saved my life, yet they wanted nothing in return. Nothing I said convinced him to tell me if there was anything I could do in return.

Peter then came and sat next to me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I found that we were suddenly in a very romantic setting, with us sitting together watching the sunset. I decided to ignore that.

"Thank you." I said to him. "For saving me."

Peter looked at me. "You think I'd let you drown?"

"Well, no, of course not. But you did risk your own life running down the cliff. Any one of those rocks could have been loose..."

"I'd risk anything to save you."

I looked at him, and found that he was smiling at me. The sunset was reflected on the side of his face it made him look even ore handsome. I smiled back at him, and then rested my head on his shoulder.

"I'm so tired." I said, closing my eyes.

"Have you slept at all since we've been here?" He asked.

"About two hours overall."

"Can you just not get to sleep?"

I shook my head. "Nope. I don't know why."

"Maybe you're just a bit overwhelmed with everything."

"Maybe." I said, and lifted my head off his shoulder and opened my eyes. "I'm gonna go and lie down. Better try to get some sleep."

He nodded and I got up, touching him on the shoulder and then heading over to where Lucy and Susan were sleeping. I laid down near Susan, and got comfortable, soon closing my eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Five~*~Aslan's How~***

"Here, Caspian, can you see anything specific on these swords?" I asked Caspian, as we were nearing Aslan's How. "Susan and Lucy seem to think these swords were left for me, so I was just wondering if there are any specific markings on them."

"I'll have a look." I handed the swords over to him, and he studied them as we walked with the crowd. He looked at them for a minute or so, and I could see on his face that he couldn't find anything. "I can't see anything specific. But then, I'm not an expert, so..." He handed the swords back to me with a smile. I sheathed them.

"Thank you anyway."

Just at that moment, we emerged from the trees, and across a field of grass, there was Aslan's How. It was a huge mound that had been built up from the ground, and it must have quite a few levels inside, just from looking at the sheer size of it. There was also a stone ruin in front of the How, that kind of looked like an arena of some sort, as though a match of some sort would take place upon it.

We walked across the field, and once we reached the How, centaurs walked up and stood on either side of the walkway into the How. They all raised their swords, and I realized it was a kind of royal thing to do, so that the Kings and Queens would walk under them. At that moment, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy walked ahead, and me and Caspian held back, as we're not as high a rank as the others. That made me feel a bit left out, and I could see from Caspian's place that he felt the same as me, but I imagine that he felt it a lot worse because he is royalty. I put my hand on his arm briefly, and then we followed my siblings, along with Trumpkin, Glenstorm, and the rest of the Narnians. I noticed that there was a young centaur in line with the other centaurs, and he was holding his sword too low. Just before Lucy was near the centaur, his father quickly lifted up the young centaurs' arms, so that he held his sword higher. Aww, he was so cute!

Entering the How was a surreal experience. It was nothing like I imagined it would be. It was full of dark tunnels, and there were many rooms spread about, and in all of the rooms that I had seen so far, which were only a few, I saw that many Narnian creatures were making weapons, armour, shields, and chain mail. Reminded me of an armoury or a blacksmith. We entered what looked and felt like the main room of the How, and the Kings and Queens went to look around, apart from Peter who stopped and studied what was going on around the room. Caspian and I stood next to him.

"It may not be what you are used to..." Caspian addressed Peter. "...But it is defensive."

"Peter." Susan called from the other side of the room. "You may want to see this."

We headed over to her, and she walked down part of a tunnel, which was lined with flamed torches, and then stopped beside some carvings and paintings on the wall. I stopped and looked at the paintings, and I saw that there were two Kings and two Queens, each by their own throne.

"It's us." Susan said. I looked away from that painting, and looked at the other walls and up at the ceiling. They were all dotted with different paintings etched into the stone.

"What is this place?" Lucy asked, turning to look at Caspian.

"You don't know?" Caspian seemed surprised that we didn't know. He reached up and unhooked one of the flaming torches from it's grate, and took the lead, walking us down a few tunnels.

We finally entered a dark room, and I could feel something different in this room. It had a different, much more important and unique, atmosphere than the previous rooms did. Caspian went to the left and lit a fire, which then spread around the entire room in a semi-circle. The new light revealed big carvings of Narnians around the walls. And in front of us, on the opposite wall, I knew immediately that it was a carving of Aslan. I didn't need to ask the others what was in the centre of the room, for I knew what it was straight away. It was the Stone Table, on which Aslan was sacrificed when the others were here last. The Pevensies all walked forwards in their own time, and looked at the carving of Aslan. I waited behind, Caspian also still waiting by the fire.

"He must know what he's doing." Lucy said.

Peter took a step forward and then turned to face everyone, speaking sternly, "I think it's up to us now."

For a few hours, we were getting to know our whereabouts. Peter, Edmund, and Caspian were with soldiers, talking about whatever they would talk about in these circumstances. They were in one of the bigger rooms, where a lot of Narnians were still making weapons. Susan and Lucy were in the Stone Table room, looking round the various carvings and talking about what they remember Narnia to be like. I on the other hand had made my way to one of the smaller rooms, and noticed that there were quite a few young creatures hiding in there. They noticed that I was in the doorway and they shied away from me. I looked down the tunnel, but no one was there. All I could hear was clanking coming from the nearby armoury room. I looked back and smiled. There were a few centaur children, one of which was the centaur who was holding his sword too low when we entered the How, a couple of young fauns, and three wolf cubs. I wasn't sure what to say to them. So I just went with my maternal instincts.

"Hi." A few of them smiled back. "Are you guys hungry? There's plenty of food." I backed out the doorway a little. Some of them took a couple of steps, but hesitated. "Come on. It's okay. We're all friends here." They eventually followed me and I got them some food. And then they started talking to me which was good. It showed that they were comfortable I guess.

I went back into the Stone Table room and sat with Susan and Lucy, and we enjoyed a meal of fish together. But of course, things couldn't stay peaceful for too long, because just as we finished our meal, Caspian, Peter, and Edmund rounded the corner, along with Trumpkin, Nikabrik, Trufflehunter, Reepicheep, Glenstorm, Zuro, and many other warriors.

"A Telmarine has been spotted spying on us." Peter informed us, as he and the rest gathered round the room. "We must act now." He was addressing the whole room by now. "It's only a matter of time. Miraz's men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, Sire?" Reepicheep asked.

Caspian and Peter both started talking at the same time, but Peter turned and gave Caspian a look which basically told him 'I'm in charge, I give the orders.' Peter really was getting frustrated. I felt sorry for him because he's only a seventeen year old boy, but at the same time, he was being rather horrible to a lot of people who tried to help and offer ideas. Caspian then stopped talking and let Peter go ahead. "Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us."

"But that's crazy. No one has ever taken that castle." Caspian said, taking a stand.

"There's always a first time." Peter said back.

"We'll have the element of surprise." Trumpkin joined in.

Caspian wasn't impressed. "But we have the advantage here."

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely." Susan said, and Peter looked at her in surprise that she would go against what he wanted.

"I for one feel safer underground." Trufflehunter announced.

Peter turned to Caspian. "Look, I appreciate what you've done, but this isn't a fortress, it's a tomb."

"Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart, they'll just starve us out." Edmund took Peter's side. Reepicheep was standing on one of the rocks in the ground near the doorway, and Pattertwig, a squirrel, was next to him. And Pattertwig, bless him, wasn't the brightest of creatures. "We could collect nuts!"

Reepicheep rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, and throw them at the Telmarines!" He said sarcastically, and then turned to Pattertwig. "Shut up!" He looked back at Peter. "I think you know where I stand on this, Sire."

Peter was satisfied with the number on his side, but not everyone looked happy with this decision. Peter turned to address Glenstorm. "If I can get your troops in, can you handle the guards?"

Glenstorm hesitated in his answer. He looked at Caspian, debating who's side he should go on. After all, he was in Caspian's Army before we found everyone. But, he turned back to Peter. "Or die trying, my liege." He gave a slight bow.

"That's what I'm worried about." It was the first time Lucy had participated in the conversation.

"Sorry?" Peter asked.

"Well, you're all acting like there are only two options; dying here, or dying there." She said, looking at Peter specifically.

"I'm not sure you've really been listening, Lu."

"No, you're not listening!" She said, rising her voice a little. Peter looked a bit shocked, but then again we all did. She didn't say the next part as loudly. "Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?"

You could definitely feel the tension in the room at this moment. Peter looked up at the carving of Aslan, and you could tell he was contemplating something. He then looked back at Lucy. "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough."

I felt that I needed to intervene. "Have you really, Peter?"

Everyone turned to look at me, particularly Peter, and I then felt intimidated, but I brushed that aside, wanting to stick up for Lucy.

"What?" Peter said.

"Do you really think that you've waited long enough?"

"We've been here for days and he's shown no sign."

"I'd think again Peter." He looked at me blankly. "The gorge. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Aslan, and Lucy. Please just, listen to her. I think she's right." He looked down, but not for long.

"We need to take a stand. It's our turn now."

And that was it. He didn't give me a chance to respond because he walked out of the room, and those who were in favour of him followed. I ran after him, and started to walk alongside him.

"Peter, are you sure this is a good idea?"

We carried on walking but he looked at me. "I appreciate you trying to help, really I do. But if we don't take this chance then we might not get another one. And we could be defeated."

I guess he had a good point.

"Okay. Sorry for being a bit of a bitch."

He smiled and put his arm round me. "Don't worry. You're starting to act like a leader. You catch on quick." I smiled wildly, gave him a hug, and then turned to go back into the Stone Table room.

Peter had just told me that I wouldn't be going with them to the castle, and I wasn't very happy with that.

"What? Why can't I go?"

"It's too dangerous. And we need people here to protect Lucy and the younger creatures."

I could tell that my mouth was hanging open. Very attractive look right now. "You're kidding, right? I'm a very talented martial artist!"

"I know you are, Alex. But it's too dangerous for girls."

"What? You're letting Susan go!" I caught him out there.

"Alex's right, Peter. She'll be a big help." Susan opted in.

Peter thought about it, and then nodded. "Okay. But I want you guys out of the battle as much as possible. I can't have you two getting hurt."

Susan and I agreed, but when Peter turned his back, we exchanged a glance, and we were both thinking the same thing: he can't stop us from fighting for something we love.

Susan and I were outside on the field, getting in some practise for the night raid tomorrow. And so, she suggested the idea of me learning how to shoot with a bow and arrow. I wasn't too keen on the idea at first I'll be honest, but she eventually convinced me. And so, she had one of the Narnian "Blacksmiths" to fashion me my personal bow. I said that it was no point to make me one when we didn't even know if I was going to be any good or not, but she said that I will obtain the ability with some practise. I decided that it was best not to argue with her, considering that she was the best archer that Narnia has ever known.

"Alright, so, first thing you need to do is take your stance. Legs shoulder width apart with your left foot in front, and point your toes on your left foot towards the target." I did as she said, and looked back over at her. "Okay, that's good." She handed me the bow and stood next to me. "Okay, arrow feathers between your fore and middle fingers, okay." She positioned my arms and hands to where they should be, and then I realized that I was holding a very dangerous weapon. Ahh! "Alright, draw the string back until your hand touches your mouth." I did so and never realized how difficult it was. Susan makes it look effortless. "Now aim. And when you think you're there, fire." I lined up the arrow to the target, but just as I was about to fire, I lost my balance a little and my fingers slipped off the string, firing the arrow. And oh yeah right towards Caspian.

He reacted and grabbed his arm, looking round to see where it had come from. He was in the middle of the field, practising his sword tactics.

"Holy shit!" With the bow still in my hand, I ran over to Caspian, Susan following me, and I stopped abruptly. "Oh my God, oh my God! Caspian, I am so so so sorry! I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to get you! I lost my footing and my hand slipped and oh my God I'm so sorry!" I was so shocked. I just couldn't believe it. I noticed that the bow was still in my hand, and I threw at Susan, as though it had suddenly caught fire. Susan and Caspian laughed a little.

"Don't worry about it, Alex. It barely got me. No damage done." He could he be so calm? I just fired an arrow at him for God's sake!

"No damage done? You're bleeding!"

"Alex, calm down. It's okay. Really." He looked at his wound and then back at me, with that gorgeous smile plastered on his face. I bit my lip.

"Okay, but I'm still really sorry." He then touched my arm, which sent tingles all down my arm to the tip of my fingers.  
"It's okay. Don't worry about it." He then leaned in a little closer and I caught my breath. "But I think you need to practise more." We all laughed, which cheered me up a little, but I still felt really bad. I nodded at him. "Sorry again." I smiled at him, and turned to walk back to the archery range with Susan. We then looked at each other, my mouth open, her mouth curved into a smile, and we then screamed, like two little girls. But we soon shut up, as a lot of Narnians looked over, and Caspian was most likely looking over too.

I had gone inside the How for lunch, and to prevent myself from hurting anyone else because that was incredibly scary and embarrassing. Thankfully, Caspian doesn't think any less of me. He probably just thinks I'm more crazy now...great...

Susan had ordered, yes ordered, and sternly for that matter, me to go back outside after lunch to continue my archery practise, even though I really didn't want to anymore. I had lost faith in me acquiring any archery skills before the battle tomorrow night, or ever for that matter. But, I decided that it would be best not to argue with Susan, because she does know how to argue her point.

Anyways, I was heading down one of the tunnels towards the entrance, when Caspian rounded the corner and I bumped into him, immediately going red. Could I bump or hurt him any more?

"Alex."

"Yup, me. Always me."

He smiled. "Are you heading back outside? Susan asked me to come and get you. She said that you were most likely going to be hiding."

I laughed. "Well I was going to hide, but then I thought that Susan will get angry, and she's pretty scary when she's angry. Me and the others try to avoid angry Susan at all costs."

He laughed and we started to head towards the entrance together. "You'll get better with a bow and arrow. I used to be awful too you know."

"I highly doubt that."

We reached the entrance, and I noticed that Susan was teaching about ten other people also, and so Caspian and I walked over and joined them.

"Okay, I'm here. Ready to hurt someone else coz that's all I ever do when I have one of these things in my hands."

"Nonsense. You just need to get in some practise. Here." She handed me a bow, and I took it, unenthusiastically. "Now, just remember what I taught you earlier and you'll be fine." She started to walk round and help the Narnians who needed it, which was quite a lot. I decided that I may as well give it a try. I aimed the bow and arrow, and released it, only for the arrow to fly straight over the target by about a metre. I clenched my teeth. Crap. Caspian then gave a laugh behind me. I turned round and glared at him.

"Sorry." He said, with a grin on his face. "You're way too tense. You need to loosen your arms and don't lock your elbows."

"Oh, and you think you can do better?" I asked, challenging him. I also forgot that he was a Prince at this moment coz I would never talk to a Prince like that.

He raised his eyebrows, and stepped next to me, looking down at me. "Pick a target." He seemed pretty confident. I looked ahead, and saw an acorn hanging from one of the branches on the tree about 40ft behind the target.

"Do you see that pine cone? Right there." I stepped closer to him and pointed.

"No problem." He looked ahead and then raised his crossbow, aiming. And I stepped even closer to him, making sure that he was aiming for the right one, but he wasn't. "No..." I put my hand under his crossbow and aimed slightly higher. "...that one."

He glanced over at me and I smiled at him.

"Are you sure that's not an acorn?"

I looked at him. "Too far for you?"

He looked eager and re-aimed, and then fired. He missed it by a couple of centimetres.

"Wow, You're really good. Were you trained by anyone?"

"Yes, I was. By the finest in the Telmarine Army."

"I'm impressed." I looked back at him, and noticed just how close we were standing. I found myself looking into his eyes, and I saw that he was smiling. I looked down and coughed slightly.

"I better practise some more. I don't wanna be the worse one in the army."

"Here, I'll help you."

I raised my bow and arrow again, really concentrating on the target this time. Caspian walked round to the other side of me, and placed his hand over the top of mine which was creating a platform for the arrow. He aimed it downwards slightly, and I found myself thinking about him rather than my aim.

"Okay. Now release." I looked back ahead, and let go, hitting the black ring on the target. My mouth fell open as I lowered my bow. "Oh my God! I did it! I hit it!" I turned to Caspian who was smiling at my happiness. "Thank you so much!"

"You're very welcome."

I grinned and hugged him, really not caring if anyone else saw at this time. I just just so happy that I finally was able to fire a bow and arrow and actually hit the target. I noticed that Susan was smiling at me from behind Caspian, and then she winked at me, something very un-Susan to do. I just stuck my tongue out at her and we laughed a little. I then let go of Caspian, thinking I had maybe hugged him for a moment too long.

"Well, I now have faith in myself to actually do well in this skill."

"You'll be a top archery in no time."

He really was too charming, but then, that's what's drawn me to him. That and his accent, hair, eyes, personality, smile...okay basically everything about him has attracted me to him. I found myself feeling happy and satisfied just by being in his presence, something I hadn't really experienced before when it came to guys, not even Peter...


	6. Chapter 6

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Six~*~Night Raid on the Castle~***

I woke up the next morning feeling happy and content. And I had also caught up with my sleep, so that made me feel a lot better too. I sat up and saw that Lucy and Susan were still sleeping. Us three had decided to sleep in the Stone Table room, as it made us feel a lot safer. I have no idea what time it was though, so I don't know if it was still the middle of the night or in the morning. I got up and tip-toed over to where my day dress was and got changed. I thought it would be a good idea to get in as much practise as possible before the night raid tonight. I was really scared about going to be honest. I'd never been in a battle before, and since we're the ones that're doing the invading, who knows how many soldiers are going to be defending the King and his castle. A lot I'm guessing.

I picked up my swords, no need for the sheath belt, and quietly walked out the room, as not to wake Lucy and Susan. Walking through the tunnels to the entrance to the How, I couldn't hear anything. I passed the occasion creature, but there was no sign of Peter, Edmund, or Caspian. I figured that it must be quite early in the morning.

And I was right. When I walked out the entrance, I saw that the sun was only just rising behind the forest that stood opposite the How. Oh well. It's no use going back into the How and trying to get some more sleep: the more time I have to practise my sword tactics, the better.

I walked onto the stone ruins in front of the How and closed my eyes to get into my martial arts mind and mode. I raised my swords into the starting position, and then I jumped into the air, and did a diagonal flip, swinging my swords at the invisible person in front of me. I then opened my eyes. That's how I get into my martial arts mode. Always do the first attack with my eyes closed. Helps me focus more.

Just when I was about to do a jumping kick, I heard someone behind me,

"Hey, Alex."

I whirled round, not because they made me jump, but I didn't expect them to be so close.

"Oh, Caspian, you scared me a little."

"Sorry about that. I was sitting on the upper level and saw you come out. Thought I would join you, and help you practise."

"That bad at handling a sword, am I?" I joked with him, and I'm glad he understood that I was joking as he laughed.

"Of course not, but the more practise, the better. I don't want you getting hurt, well, none of us do."

Hearing him say that he didn't want me to get hurt made my heart jump. How is he doing this to me? I felt myself go a little red at his returning smile. It was so nice to spend this time alone with him. I didn't really want anyone to suspect my feelings for Caspian, especially Peter.

We must have stayed out there for about an hour or so, just practising strategies of fighting. He was a very talented swordsman and warrior. Honestly, is there any trait that he doesn't acquire? He can handle a sword, a bow and arrow, is really strong, has a lovely personality, is gorgeous, fast runner, is well educated, and most likely some more things that I have yet to discover. And I've got to say, that I was pretty eager to learn what the rest of his traits were.

It was time. The warriors who were joining Peter in his army to go and invade Miraz' castle where gathering their weapons and putting on chain mail and armour. Me and Susan were doing the same in the Stone Table room. I think Lucy was outside, but she wasn't happy at all with what Peter was doing. To be honest not many of us were, but no one had the guts to stand up to Peter and tell him otherwise. Well, except me, but that didn't really get anywhere. Well, it was nice to see that Peter had loosened up earlier just before lunch. I had challenged him to a one on one match on the stone ruins. It was really cool actually. We were both smiling the entire time because of the fun we were having, as well as practising our fighting skills. Everyone had gathered round us and were cheering us on. I think we really needed that to loosen everyone up before the seriousness that would be tonight. That is now.

Susan and I had finished getting all armoured up, and I put on my sheath belt, and sheathed my swords. I then took a deep breath, and Susan must have heard it.

"Are you alright, Alex?" She asked, adjusting her bow over her back.

"I'm actually terrified." I admitted.

"It's natural to feel like that. But you have to get into the mind set of that it's for the greater good. We're fighting for our country basically." I nodded and tried to get my heart rate to slow down. "Alright, so have you got all your battle gear?"

"I think so. Swords, chain mail and armour are on...anything else I should be taking?"

"Your bow and arrow?"

"Hmm...I think I'll save that for later. I'd rather not fight with bow and arrow yet because I'm still not brilliant. I'll practise some more after, depending on what the result is after tonight's raid."

"Okay, good idea."

We were all suited up, and then we headed out the entrance door, to see husbands saying goodbye to their wives temporarily, and some mothers and fathers saying goodbye to their sons and daughters who were being left behind at the How. It was a sad sight to see and I felt for them. It was sunset, and so by the time we got to the castle, it would be the dead of night, and so hopefully almost everyone would be asleep and that would give us a huge advantage to getting in the castle unseen.

I noticed that Lucy was leaning standing near a pillar on the stone ruins, and she wasn't saying anything to anyone. Not even when Peter stood and looked at her from the centre of the stone ruins. She just shook her head and turned to walk back to the How. I walked forward and met her halfway.

"Lu, what's wrong?" I asked, leaning down to her.

"I have a bad feeling." Lucy was usually right with bad feelings. "You guys shouldn't be going."

I gave her a short hug. "I don't agree with it either. But no one can tell Peter to do otherwise. You know he likes his pride and leadership far too much."

"Can't you persuade him? He might listen to you."

I looked ahead and saw that everyone was waiting for me. I looked back at Lucy. "I'll try. But I doubt it'll do anything." I gave her another short hug. "Be safe."

"Be careful." She replied, and with a kiss to her forehead, I joined the rest of the army, and we all started to follow Peter across the field. I couldn't believe that this was really happening. I was about to go and fight in a war. That's one thing I never thought I would be doing in my entire life.

Peter, Susan, Trumpkin, Caspian, and I were situated on top of one of the nearby cliffs of Miraz' castle, waiting for the signal from Edmund to say that it was all clear. Edmund had flown in on a griffin and landed on a rooftop of one of the turrets. There was a griffin behind each of us on the cliff, as we would be carried in from above. The rest of the army were on the edge of the forest towards our left, down the cliff and across a stretch of grass. None of us were saying anything. We were too transfixed upon the castle.

We suddenly saw a flashing light coming from the castle, and that was our signal. The griffin's took flight, each grabbing us with their feet, round our waists and legs. They flew up high, and the air got colder and colder with each foot higher. Once we had gained enough height, the griffins started to head towards the castle, and swerved in between the turrets that were sticking up everywhere. I never imagined the scale of the castle to be this big. I'm glad Caspian knows his way around it otherwise we would have no idea where to start.

I noticed that Caspian was only holding onto the griffin's foot with his left hand, and had his sword ready in his right. But the griffin flew in front and Caspian swung at a soldier, that was passing along one of the bridges of the castle. The griffin then grabbed Caspian in the original position and we flew on, getting lower and lower as we went. As we got closer to Edmund, I saw that a soldier, who had his back to us, was aiming his crossbow at Edmund, but he didn't manage to fire because Susan fired an arrow into his back, knocking him down dead. We all landed on the bridge safely, while Peter killed a soldier that was heading towards us with his sword raised. The griffin's retreated back to where the army was as us five made our way stealthily across the walkway, following Caspian. He stopped once he got to the edge and looked over. "We need to get into the window below us."

Peter walked forward and slung a rope over the edge, and dangled it low enough so that we could reach the window ledge without having to drop far. Peter then tied the rope securely around one of the ledges of the wall.

"I'll go first." Caspian announced and he went over the edge, climbing down the rope. We all looked over the edge and when Caspian was safely on the ledge, Peter put his hand on my back, signalling that I'm going next. He kept his hand there as I climbed over the edge, but being a martial artist, I could have just quickly jumped down, but I didn't want to seem too cocky. Just as I reached the ledge, Caspian made sure that both my feet were firmly on the ledge by putting his hands on my waist. I smiled at him in thanks and then looked up, and saw Peter coming down. Caspian then knocked on the window.

"Professor?" He whispered, putting his head close to the window. Peter then landed next to us while Caspian opened the window slowly and stepped inside. Peter and I followed him, and soon enough, Susan and Trumpkin had joined us. Caspian walked over to a desk in the room, which was piled with books. As I went to look over at the books, Caspian picked up a pair of glasses from the desk. "I have to find him."

I noticed that all the books were opened on similar pages; pages to do with the Kings and Queens of the Golden Age, which only means that Miraz knows that Peter and the others are back in Narnia.

"You don't have time. You have to get to the Gatehouse." Peter told him. Caspian turned to face him and replied angrily,

"You wouldn't even be here without him." He looked down at the glasses resting in his hand. "And neither would I." Susan, Peter and I all exchanged glances.

"We can take care of Miraz." Susan addressed Peter.

"And I can still make it to the Gatehouse in time." Caspian started to run off.

"I'll go with him." I said, and ran off after him. He opened the door to the study and peered round the corner, and seeing that the coast was clear, he motioned for me to go out and down the corridor, with him close on my tail.

"No you go in front. I have no idea where I'm going. And you might know where guards are more likely to be." I whispered to him, going behind him. He nodded and we carried on sneaking through the castle. We were going down plenty of staircases, and by the time I thought that there couldn't possibly be any more lower levels, we reached the dungeons. Caspian grabbed the keys off a hook by the door, and ran over to a cell, and I noticed a man was laying on the ground. I stayed on the stairs by the door, keeping an eye out for guards. I tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it was the only thing that I could hear so I couldn't help but listen in on what they were saying.

"What're you doing here?" The Professor asked. "I didn't help you escape just so you could get captured again. You have to get out before Miraz learns you're here."

They had both stood up by now.

"He'll learn soon enough. We're giving him your cell." Caspian made a move to run back over to me, but the Professor grabbed him and pushed him against the bars.

"Don't underestimate Miraz as your father did."

"What're you talking about?" Caspian asked. I looked at Caspian and saw that anger and shock had crept onto his face.

"I'm sorry." The Professor replied.

Caspian then broke free of the Professor's grip and ran past me, and up the stairs. Something had just happened that I didn't understand. I looked at the Professor, and then ran after Caspian. I found him walking down the corridor, not taking any care to be stealthy. I caught up with him.

"Caspian." I grabbed his arm as his stride turned into a stern walk. He didn't even acknowledge that I was there. "Caspian! We have to get to the Gatehouse." He still didn't say anything and as I looked out the window, I noticed that we weren't heading for the Gatehouse; we were going further into the heart of the castle. I started to panic, both at Caspian, and the fact that the Professor wasn't following us. "What're you doing? We have to hurry!"

"We're taking a detour." I didn't like the sound of his voice. It wasn't the same voice that had been speaking to me for the past four days. And I didn't dare argue with it. I let go of his arm and walked behind him, eyes on him the entire time, hoping that he would snap out of it and turn around to head towards the Gatehouse.

As we had rounded yet another corner, Caspian then grabbed me and pulled me behind a suit of armour. He then grabbed my shoulders once we were in the shadows. "Wait here. Don't move until I come out. Understood?" I was really scared of this Caspian, so I just nodded, while my expression was that of panic and shock. He then quietly entered a door opposite where I was hiding. I let out a huge breath, and I could hear my heart beating so fast that I couldn't count the beats. I had no idea what to do. Do I go and find Peter and Susan? Do I follow Caspian into that room and see what was going on? Or do I stay here in the corridor, petrified and alone?

Just at that moment, I heard footsteps down the corridor, so I ducked deeper into the shadows. I waited a few seconds, and then I saw Peter and Susan walk past me. I came out and grabbed both of their arms, and thankfully they didn't take a swung at me with their weapons as they saw it was me before I reached them.

"Alex! Why aren't you at the Gatehouse?" Peter asked me.

"Caspian's in there and I didn't want to argue with him because he looks so angry."

Just as Peter was about to open the door, we heard someone inside say,

"Put the sword down Caspian. I don't want to do this."

We then burst into the room, weapons at the ready. "We don't want you to either." Susan said, pointing her bow and arrow at the woman who was holding a crossbow. Caspian had his sword at Miraz' throat, and his wife was kneeling on the bed, pointing the crossbow at Susan.

"This used to be a private room." Miraz said, looking annoyed that so many people had invaded his privacy, not scared at the fact that Caspian had a sword to his throat.

"Caspian what are you doing? You're supposed to be at the Gatehouse." Peter stated.

"No!" Caspian shouted. "Tonight, for once, I want the truth!" He advanced on Miraz. "Did you kill my father?"

Oh my god...it was Miraz. I felt for Caspian at that moment, knowing the feeling of loss.

"Now we get to it." Miraz answered.

"You told me your brother died in his sleep." The wife said.

"That was more or less true." Miraz replied. Caspian moved forward with his sword, forcing Miraz back against the window. "Did you kill my father?"

"Caspian, this won't make things any better." Susan said, still pointing her weapon at the wife.

"We Telmarines would have nothing had we not taken it." Miraz replied, an element of a growl in his voice. "Your father knew that as well as anyone."

I noticed that the wife lowered her crossbow a little, and looked at her husband. "How could you?" She looked shocked and appalled.

"For the same reason you will pull the trigger!" Miraz argued, and once he looked back at Caspian, he walked forwards, and Caspian started to step back slowly.

"Stop!" I yelled.

"Stay right there!" Peter shouted.

"For our son!" Miraz acted as though Susan, Peter and I weren't there. "You must choose. Do you want our child to be King, or do you want him to be like Caspian here?...Fatherless!"

The wife distressingly cried "No!" at that moment and pulled the trigger, hitting Caspian in the arm. Caspian dropped the sword and fell down, while Miraz escaped through a secret door in the wall. The wife had buried her face in the sheets and was crying. Peter tried to get the secret door open, while Susan and I went to see whether Caspian was alright. I looked at his arm, and it was a deep gash, across his upper arm, much like the one I had given him but much worse. But that didn't stop him. He was much too angry to really care about his wound.

Moments later, we ran out of the room and down a few corridors, until Peter ran down a different hallway to what Susan, Caspian, and I were running down.

"Peter!" Susan called as we watched him ran.

"Our troops are just outside, come on!" Peter shouted back, not making any move to stop, and so the three of us had no choice but to run after him. We ran through the courtyard, and killed a few soldiers.

"Now, Ed, now! Signal the troops!" Peter ran over to a wheel and tried to turn it, wanting to open the gate to enable the troops to come in. We caught up to him.

"Peter, it's too late! We need to get out of here!" I said eagerly, hearing alarm sounds and shouts.

"Alex is right, we have to call it off while we still can!" Susan opted in.

"No! I can still do this! Help me!" Nothing will stop him. We helped him turn the wheel, trying to be as quick as possible because many Telmarine soldiers were emitting from various doorways in and around the courtyard.

"Just who exactly are you doing this for, Peter?" Susan said sternly, not looking impressed at his decision. He desperately wants to prove himself as a powerful warrior and leader, and who doesn't need the help of Aslan.

Just then, the troops came charging in under the gate, all emitting battle cries. Us four abandoned the wheel and turned to face the oncoming soldiers, drawing our weapons.

"For Narnia!" Peter cried, and we all ran into battle. I didn't have time to get into my fighting mode, so I just threw myself into it by flipping in the air and bringing sword down on an oncoming soldier, which killed him instantly. When my feet touched the ground, I caught my breath. I had just killed someone. I didn't realize that the thought would hit me as hard as it did, but I brushed it off quickly and rejoined the battle.

Throughout the minutes of us fighting, I found myself using more martial arts skills than my swords. I did use them of course, but I was mainly jumping and flipping around, using flying kicks and fast frontal punches to the face, which knocked the soldiers out from the force of them all. As I got more into the battle, I was using my swords more as I got more used to them. I had never really had any training as to how to use swords with martial arts skills, but I think I worked it out, or got the hang of it at least, eventually. The battle got more and more intense as more soldiers came out of the doorways. I noticed a soldier running towards me with his sword raised, and so I jumped towards the wall and kicked off with my right foot, spinning back round to kick him square in the face. He dropped to the ground unconscious and I plunged my sword into his chest to ensure that he won't be getting back up.

I then turned round to find another soldier to fight, when I was hit over the head with a fist and I fell on the ground, losing unconsciousness for about a second when I collided with the ground. Just as the soldier advanced on me, he cried out in pain and fell to my feet, dead. I looked up and it was Peter. He grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet, quickly making sure I was alright, before we both joined back in with the fighting.

After I had killed a few others, I looked up towards one of the upper levels of the castle, and found that loads of soldiers had piled round, all armed with crossbows, and they were picking a Narnian target in the courtyard. Before I could get Peter's attention, I saw Edmund slide down the roof above the soldiers and knock one of the soldiers over the edge.

"Ed!" I yelled, when I saw the other soldiers notice him. He darted towards a door and kicked it shut, just as the soldiers started to fire. A few of the soldiers then followed him through the door and disappeared out of sight. Crap. I turned round and fought some more, and then I noticed that the soldiers were one by one slowly backing me into a corner. This made me work harder because being cornered was never a good thing, especially in as serious a situation as this was.

Moments later, I saw that Peter and a Minotaur were fighting their way up to the next level of the castle. They were heading towards Miraz, who was watching the battle from his balcony. The Minotaur managed to grab onto the ledge of the balcony and takes a swing at Miraz, but another solder, who looked like a General or something, fired an arrow at the Minotaur, weakening him. Miraz then pushed the Minotaur off of the ledge, which made him feel to the very bottom. This was the turning point in the morale of the Narnians. The gate then started to fall fast, and another Minotaur ran towards it and positioned himself under it, and when the gate came in contact with him, he roared out, but he still held it open.

I had forgotten that there were soldiers all around me as I was too busy looking around at everything that was happening in panic. A soldier slashed their sword across my stomach, making me cry out in pain and fall to the ground. It was in the same place of my bruise from my fall, which is why it hurt so much. I did see him at the last minute and jump back a little, but it wasn't far enough. I breathed deeply as I was on the ground, and I found that the pain was easing, but not enough so that I could get up..

"Fall back! Retreat!" I heard Peter yell from somewhere. Narnians all around the courtyard then made a break for the gate and kept on running once they were out of the courtyard. "We have to retreat, now!"

I made sure that both of my swords were sheathed, before I made a move to get up, and grabbed onto the wall for support, my other hand on my stomach. I saw Susan jump on the back of Glenstorm and they were soon safely on the other side of the gate. I looked around, and noticed that I couldn't see Caspian anywhere, and I started to panic. But I had to make a run for the gate, and as I was still in the very corner in the shadows, the soldiers hadn't noticed me yet. Just as I made a move to sprint for the gate, two doors flung open, and Caspian rode out on a huge black horse, and he was holding the reins of another horse, at which he motioned for Peter to ride out on the horse. The Professor was on third horse. I made a break for Caspian.

"Caspian!" I called out, going as quickly as I could over to him, which wasn't quickly at all, as the pain worsened when I moved. Caspian looked over, and immediately galloped over to me. Just as arrows were starting to be fired into the courtyard, Caspian grabbed my arm and helped me swing onto the horse behind him, and then we sprinted towards the gate. I winced at the pain on my stomach, but held Caspian around his waist and shielded our heads as much as I could as more and more arrows were being fired. Peter was close behind us on the other horse, and we soon reached the gate, ducking as we went under it. Caspian and I carried on galloping across the bridge and then stopped and looked back towards the gate when we heard it fall. The Minotaur holding it up had been hit with many arrows and was now lying dead, with the bottom of the gate on top of him, trapping many Narnians inside. Peter had stopped and was hesitating. He kept looking between us and the trapped Narnians. They were all calling out, and some where crying out in pain when arrows hit them in the back. I buried my face into Caspian's back, not wanting to see the pain and despair. I heard the bridge then start to rise.

"Peter! The bridge!" Caspian called to him, and I soon heard galloping hooves.

"Flee for your lives, your Majesties!"

"For Narnia!"

These calls were coming from the Narnians still inside. I lifted up my head and looked one last time at the Narnians inside, and then saw Peter and the horse jump the gap, and join us. We all turned and galloped or ran off. We galloped as fast as we could, and only when the castle was long out of view did we slow down. I had forgotten all about my wound, and all I could see and think about where the faces of those left behind. We then stopped and I let go of Caspian as he dismounted. I also saw that Peter had gotten off his horse and Susan had taken his place. A Griffin landed within the party, and Edmund dismounted, unhurt by the looks of it. We all then slowly started to walk back towards the How, with barely half of the troops we left with.

We travelled like this the rest of the way. And no one spoke.


	7. Chapter 7

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Seven~*~Evil Begins~***

We were all walking back across the field towards the How, still none of us talking. Susan and I were now on foot, and the horses were somewhere towards the back of the line. Peter was in front, with Caspian a few paces behind him. I then saw Lucy run out of the How just as we passed the stone ruins. I could see that all the Narnians who had waited behind at the How were a little shocked that we had returned so soon and also that there were only half the number that we left with.

"What happened?" Lucy asked, looking at Peter.

"Ask him." Peter replied angrily, referring to Caspian.

"Peter." Susan and I said.

Caspian started to look angry too and stopped, at which Peter stopped too just ahead of him.

"Me?" Caspian said. "You could have called it off. There was still time."

"No there wasn't thanks to you. If you'd kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now." Peter went to walk away, but turned back round when Caspian spoke in an angrier tone.

"And if you'd just stayed here like I suggested then they definitely would be!"

"You called us, remember?" Peter told him.

Caspian looked at Peter in the eye. "My first mistake."

"No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people." He turned to walk away again.

"Hey!" Caspian yelled, shocking all of us, including Peter, who looked at Caspian and dared him to continue what he was going to say. "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."

"You invaded Narnia." Peter had advanced on Caspian. "You have no more right here than Miraz does!" Caspian pushed past him and headed towards the How. "You, him, your father!" Caspian stopped abruptly. "Narnia's better off without the lot of you!" Caspian emitted a battle cry and both he and Peter drew their swords and pointed them at each others' throats.

"Stop it!" I yelled, and they both turned to look at me.

"Alex." Edmund said, and I turned round to look at him. He and Glenstorm were lowering a very injured Trumpkin to the ground. Lucy then rushed past me and knelt down next to him, Susan and I joining her. She poured a drop from her healing cordial into his mouth, and a few seconds later, he opened his eyes, looking around at all of us.

"What're you all standing around for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough."

Lucy, Susan, and I all smiled, and once we knew that he was okay, we stood up and made a move to walk over to Peter, who was still looking really angry.

"Thank you." Trumpkin said, stopping us in our tracks. He was looking at Lucy."My dear little friend." Lucy grinned and we then went to stand with Peter. He was just starring at the entrance to the How, at which I assume that Caspian had gone into because he was no longer around.  
"Why didn't you stop him?" Peter looked at me, still angry.

"What?" I asked.

"You could've stopped him from going to Miraz."

I was shocked, and I started to feel a little angry too. "And you think I didn't try to stop him? You should have seen the look on his face, Peter."

"That doesn't mean any-" I interrupted him angrily.

"Of course it means something, Peter! That man killed his father!"

"What did Caspian think he could do? Just kill Miraz like that? Miraz is a powerful man and would've defeated Caspian easily."

I gritted my teeth, glaring at Peter. I then noticed that everyone was silent and that Lucy, Susan, and Edmund had backed off a little from us. I walked closer to Peter and starred at him deep in the eye.

"If I ever found the person who killed my parents, nothing would have stopped me from killing them." I gave Peter one last glare and turned around, walking towards the other side of the field, yanking my arm away from Susan as she tried to grab it. I was just so angry and furious and upset that tears started streaming down my face, and I didn't even care if the Narnian's saw. Once I got to the other side of the field, I found a stump to sit on. I faced away from the How, and I didn't plan on moving from there in a while.

I couldn't believe that Peter had said those things to me. He knows how sensitive I am about my parents, even though I say that I don't remember much about them. Doesn't mean that I still don't love them and think about them everyday. I'm permanently wondering what happened to them ten years ago. I hugged myself in comfort and stopped crying after a few minutes or so. I didn't want to be like this the entire time. Truthfully, all I wanted to do was either go into the How and find Caspian, or walk forwards into the forest and not return for a while. I took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. It was a clear morning, and then I realized how long we had been out for. We had been fighting through the night, and it had taken us a few hours to get back to the How, so we had been awake all night. None of us realized though because we were so shaken up by the events that took place last night. I then remembered that Caspian was still on his own and upset and hurt, probably much like I was right now. Most likely worse. I also should apologize for pushing Susan away, I know that she only wanted to help. But sometimes you just need a little time on your own to regain yourself, and I think I've just about done that.

I got up and walked back to the How as sitting on that stump just got me thinking about many things, most of them being bad, and so I decided to distract myself from my thoughts. I saw that Caspian, Peter, or any of the others weren't outside the How; there were only some Narnians. I saw Glenstorm comforting a female centaur, who's husband was lost in the battle. My heart gave a tug and I walked faster, not wanting to start crying again. I wasn't really in the mood to see Peter yet, but the others I wanted to see. But there were so many rooms and tunnels to look in, so I decided to head for the Stone Table room, as that's where they were most likely to be.

Just as I was almost at the Stone Table room, I heard Peter's voice echo "Stop!" I broke into a run through the corridor, hitting various dark patches, but I knew the tunnel to this room so well by now that I knew where all the turns were. Once I came to the entrance to the room, I found Edmund and Peter battling a Werewolf and a Hag, while Lucy and Trumpkin were fighting Nikabrik. I didn't know who to go and help. Just as I was about to run over to Edmund, I noticed that Caspian was standing on the other side of the Stone Table, with his back facing towards me. He had his arm out in front of him, and then I saw that ice had been created in between two pillars, the two that were positioned either side of Aslan's carving. A woman was embedded in the ice, and her right hand and part of her wrist was sticking out of the ice, holding out towards Caspian's hand. My eyes widened, and I stopped running towards Edmund. I realized who that woman was in the ice. It was the White Witch, whom my siblings had defeated the last time they were here. How was she still alive? Or was only her spirit alive in the ice?

I stopped asking myself questions and saw that Caspian was edging his hand towards the White Witch's hand. I knew something really bad was going to happen if they linked hands, probably something that we couldn't defeat on our own. And so, I acted on my instincts. I ran past Peter, who had just killed the hag and started running behind me. I ran round the Stone Table and ran into the side of Caspian, pushing him over onto the ground, and I landed right next to him, my arm still across his chest. I screamed out in pain as I collided with the ground, as I had completely forgotten about my injury on my stomach. Probably wasn't the best idea to land on my stomach.

"Get away from him!" Peter yelled, and I just about saw that he was standing where Caspian was moments ago, and was pointing his sword at the White Witch. Caspian was in shock as everything had happened so fast, but as I tried to put pressure on my stomach to stop the pain, Caspian put his hand under my head and tried to comfort me, but we were both too occupied about what was happening between Peter and the White Witch.

"Peter dear...I've missed you. Come, just one drop." She then reached towards Peter, as she had drawn back her hand slightly when I pushed Caspian over. Peter didn't move, just kept pointing his sword towards her. "You know you can't do this alone." Peter hesitated, but then he started to lower his sword slowly, being drawn in by the Witch's power. A sword then appeared through the Witch's body, and she groaned in pain. The ice started to crack rapidly, and then violently shattered, at which we all shielded our faces, Caspian shielding both mine and his by turning my head into his shoulder and holding his hand in front of his face.

Once we no longer heard the ice falling to the ground, we all looked up, and saw that Edmund was standing on the other side between the pillars, still with his sword drawn. He then sheathed it, and I could definitely see the anger in his face, as he was most affected by the Witch's power the last time they were here. He then said to Peter,

"I know. You had it sorted."

Edmund then slowly walked away behind the pillar, clearly annoyed that his brother never appreciates how much he actually does help out.

Caspian then got up and helped me onto my feet by holding onto my arms. He didn't let go of them when we were both on our feet. I winced at the pain from my stomach, but thankfully the pain had eased since I fell on it. I looked behind me and saw that Lucy and Trumpkin were okay, and there was the body of Nikabrik laying face down in front of them. They were both looking at something behind me. I turned back round, and noticed that everyone was looking at the carving of Aslan, that had been covered up by the ice and the White Witch earlier. Peter wasn't blinking as he looked at the carving, and I think that he must realize that none of us couldn't really do anything without Aslan. He is the power that we need when we're in Narnia. I think maybe Peter has finally realized, from the events that just occurred, that he also needs Aslan to guide the way.

Just as we turned to go out of the room, we saw Susan standing by the entrance, looking really angry. She was looking at Peter and Caspian. She looked over at Lucy, then looked back looking more angry. I think she was really angry because the boys had put Lucy in a lot of danger by having her in this room when everything broke loose. She then turned and left the room, and I saw Peter hang his head. But, that wasn't the case for long because he then rushed over to me, and Caspian backed off.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Peter asked, looking me in the eye.

"Just a little." I replied. "My stomach. I got hit in the castle, but it's only just started hurting a few minutes ago." I saw that Peter's eyes were glistening, almost with tears. He then moved his hands from my arms and put them on either side of my face, and leaned his forehead against mine, closing his eyes.

"I am so sorry. I am so so sorry, Alex. I didn't mean anything of what I said earlier. I was a stupid idiot, and I shouldn't have said-" I cut him off.

"Peter, it's okay. You were just angry and upset about what happened at the castle. You were just acting on your emotions. We've all done it."

"It wasn't your fault though, and I had no right to blame it on you."

I smiled. "Thank you for the apology. But honestly, just forget it. Like I said, our emotions get the better of us sometimes." I pulled him in for a hug, and he hugged me very tightly, and wouldn't let me go for a couple of minutes. You see, it's moments like this that I know that I like two guys at the same time. How do I get myself into these situations?

Once we parted, I smiled at him again, and he returned it. I looked round the room and found that we were the only ones left in the room. We went to leave the room, when my stomach started to hurt again. I bent over in pain and almost fell to the ground, but Peter grabbed me so that I didn't.

"Alex? What is it? Is there anything I can do?" His voice was full of panic.

I just about caught my breath. "Lucy's cordial heals injuries right?" He nodded frantically. "I think I need a drop of that." I grimaced as I tried to take another step. Peter then picked me up in his arms and ran down the tunnels with me, as I tried to stop the pain. We reached the outside and he placed me on the grass gently.

"Lucy!" Peter shouted towards the stone ruins, and I saw Lucy rush over, followed by Susan, Edmund, and Caspian, all with worried looks on their faces.

"It's really not a big deal, guys. You know I'm clumsy."

Lucy poured a drop of the fire flower juice into my mouth. It tasted strong and hot, but it also had a sweetness to it. It was quite pleasant for a type of medicine. A few seconds later, I found that the pain in my stomach was completely gone. I touched my stomach and nothing; there really is magic in this world. I sat up on my own, with ease, and wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulder.

"Thank you, Lu."

She smiled and flung both her arms round my neck, hugging me tightly. I hugged her back grinning. Once we let go, I said,

"I really need to learn not to get hurt. It's becoming rather annoying." They all gave a small laugh, and we tried to enjoy the rest of the day by not thinking about the evil things to come and the future battles we will have to fight in.

It was nearing the evening of the same day that we had come back from the raid, and I was walking towards the outer upper level of the How, planning to watch the sunset, when I accidentally walked in on a conversation between the Professor Cornelius and Caspian. They looked round when I came through the opening.

"Oh, I'm sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." I made a move to leave.

"No, no, Alex, stay." Caspian said, and I turned back to see Caspian smiling at me. I smiled back and took a few steps towards them, but I didn't sit with them as I still didn't want to intrude.

Cornelius then got up. "Well, I have some children to educate about the history of Narnia. Goodbye to the both of you."

I smiled at him as he walked past me into the tunnel, and then Caspian said,

"Please, come and join me." He motioned for me to go and sit next to him, at which, of course, I did so. But as I sat next to him, he looked back towards the forest and the sky ahead, and I noticed how sad he looked. I think he was trying to cover up his sadness with the smile a moment ago. But I'm a girl, I can sense these things. I also think I know just what he's sad about. I debated whether to ask him about it or to just distract him. With my situation with my parents being killed, I've always wanted to talk to someone who understand exactly how I was feeling and what I was going through, so maybe Caspian is looking for this too. I took a shot at it.

"How are you doing? That must have been pretty tough what you went through with Miraz last night."

Caspian looked down at his hands, and for a moment I wondered if I had made a mistake in bringing it up.

"The Professor just told me that he knew what had happened to my father, but thought that I shouldn't know the truth while I was still in the castle with Miraz. He was worried that I would get so angry that I would try to kill Miraz as soon as I found out, and that if I did, I would probably be killed by him." He had clasped his hands together and was moving his thumbs around as though nervous or anxious. "I can't believe I never knew. How could he do such a thing? And to his own brother. My father never did anything to hurt him."

I put my hand on his. "We can never understand what some people do. But if I had to make a guess, I'd say that your father was such a great King, that Miraz was jealous, and got greedy."

Caspian nodded, and I could almost see the tears in his eyes. I think he was trying to cover it up and not cry in front of me. I wouldn't think any less of him even if he did cry.

"I'm ashamed to have Miraz as my family. All I wanted to do in that room last night was to kill him. I want him to suffer what my father suffered." I felt a lump in my throat and my heart broke for him, as I saw one tear fall down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, then put that hand on top of mine. I edged closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder, but I was still looking at him.

"I know exactly how you feel. If I ever find the people that killed my parents, I know that the vengeance will just completely take over me and Alex would be gone. All I'd want to do is torture them to the point of satisfaction on my point, but I know that it will never be enough. It makes me angry and sad to think that I would ever do such a thing, but I don't think that I would be able to control myself in that kind of situation." I felt my eyes fill up with tears.

"I wouldn't think any less of you if you did do that. We have the same feelings and emotions and I like that I have someone to talk to about this. To know that someone knows exactly how you're feeling."

"I think you'd be the only one to understand really." I said, biting my lip afterwards to stop the tears falling.

Caspian was looking at me, and I noticed how close we were. We had been in this situation a few times before now, but this time, it wasn't by accident, and it didn't feel awkward. It felt right. I smiled a little and he returned it. He took his hands from mine and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. I wrapped both my arms around his shoulders and hugged him back, closing my eyes. It was very different from my hug with Peter. This one felt much more comforting and loving. Whenever I think that I like both Caspian and Peter, I find that as soon as I'm in Caspian's company and not Peter's, I feel much more strongly for Caspian, and almost all of my feelings for Peter just evaporate.

Caspian pulled his head back from my shoulder, and looked into my eyes. His eyes darted down to my lips, but almost as soon as it happened, his eyes were back onto mine. We both started to edge our faces closer, before...

"Alex, do you want to-oh crap sorry! Didn't mean to-sorry..."

Perfect timing Susan. Caspian and I instantly pulled back, but I kept one hand on his shoulder. Susan then turned to go. I called her back because the moment was gone. "Susan! Wait. What did you want to say?"

Susan was trying to cover up a grin, but she also looked embarrassed, but then I think we all looked embarrassed – I was just trying not to let it show.

"Just wondered if you...wanted to go for a walk?"

I could so tell that she actually was planning on doing something else, but now she wants to go for a walk so that she can hear all the details about what just happened. I turned to Caspian.  
"Just keep your head up, and try not to be too upset. Think about the good things. I know it's hard to not think about the bad things, but you will carry in your father's footsteps as King. Count on it." I gave him a warm smile, before I got up, and went with Susan, who was still trying to hide a grin.


	8. Chapter 8

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Eight~*~The Army Arrives~***

"So, from what I could see, you and Caspian were getting rather close." Susan told me, as we made our way through the tunnels of the How, heading towards the outside so that we could have a long walk and a chat, which we haven't really been able to do the entire time that we've been here, which feels like months, not just a week.

I just grinned and looked down, not saying anything. Susan grinned also as we reached the entrance and started to walk around the field. Caspian was no longer on the upper level, so he was probably walking around the How thinking about the same thing that I am.

"If I hadn't walked in, which I'm really sorry about by the way, do you think that you guys would have gone ahead with the kiss?" Susan asked.

I waited a couple of seconds, and then I nodded my head. "I think so, yeah. Well, I know that I certainly wanted to kiss him." I then realized something, and the smile vanished from my face and my tone of voice changed to a much more solemn one. "But I think it might have just been in comfort."

"What do you mean?" She asked, as we started to walk on the edge of the forest, not really wanting to be interrupted by anyone.

"Well, we were both really upset. I was almost crying, and he was really upset too. He was telling me about how he just wants to take his revenge upon Miraz for what he did to his father." I looked down at the ground. "And then, I started talking about how I know exactly how he feels about wanting to have revenge and kill someone. I feel like that almost everyday." I took a deep breath. I hadn't really talked about my mum and dad to anyone before, apart from Caspian now. "There isn't a day that goes past that I don't want to find the person who took my parents from me. And, I think that Caspian and I have finally found someone that we can talk to about it as we are feeling the same thing. Plus, I don't want to depress the rest of you. Or take advantage, considering you guys took me into your family in a heartbeat."

"You know we don't mind you talking about your parents. They are your parents after all, and I know that if I was in your position, I would always wonder what happened to them. You're not a bad person for thinking that."

I nodded, and decided that I should lighten up the mood. "Well, I've been thinking about it in a different way since we've got here, and since I've got close with Caspian."

"How so?"

"Well, if my parents hadn't gone missing, then I never would've experienced the amazing life of being a Pevensie, and of course, most probably never would have come to Narnia."

"And met Caspian." Susan added, and we both laughed, and I went a little red, and she linked her arm through mine. "You are completely smitten by him."

"Oh my God, I so am. I'm acting like a teenage girl with a crush!"

"Alex...you _are_ a teenage girl with a crush!"

We both laughed, and the atmosphere had completely turned around; we were both bubbly and happy again.

"I guess I am." I said, grinning.

"Well, I can say that he definitely suits you. You guys seemed to just click straight away. And you know that that doesn't happen very often."

"I can say that it's never happened with me. I know this is going to sound a little cheesy, but I can honestly say that I have never felt this way before. When I'm around Caspian, I just feel so happy and content...okay that does sound really cheesy!" I laughed.

"But, it's so true. I can tell that you suit each other just by looking at you when you're together. Even if you're just standing next to each other. You just fit, you know. And they way he looks at you. You're one lucky girl."

I just smiled and looked towards the field. I saw Peter in the middle, having a friendly showdown with Edmund. My heart gave a tug and the smile faded from my face. I also stopped walking, and so Susan had noticed my change in mood.

"Alex?"

I didn't answer, just kept looking at Peter. But Susan then looked where I was looking, and most likely saw that I was looking at Peter, or Edmund I guess as they were in near enough the same space.

"Alex?" She repeated, coming to stand in front of me, making me snap out of my trance as Peter was no longer in my line of sight.

"Are you okay? Your mood just rapidly changed."

I looked down and contemplated. Should I tell her or not? I tell her everything. And this was the one thing that I've never told anyone before, and I had a good reason not to: I was scared because I knew that they would have a different opinion if they knew about my feelings for Peter. I looked back up at Susan.

"Come over here." I said quietly, and grabbed her hand, leading her over to a tree that had fallen over in the forest, forming a kind of bench. We sat down on it, and she was looking at me with heavy curiosity. I took a deep breath. This is going to go one way, or the other. I'm hoping it's not 'the other'.

"Susan, if I tell you something, will you promise not to judge me, or to tell anyone else?"

"Of course! You're my best friend, you can trust me with anything. You know that."

I nodded. "I couple of years ago, I realized that I had feelings for a boy that I had known for a while. Nothing heavy, just a little crush. But, as the weeks and months went on, they got really strong. I then thought that they had gone away a few months back, but a week away I realized they hadn't..."

"A week away? But we were in...Narnia...then..."

I bit my lip as I looked at her. She looked over at the field and back to me with her mouth open. Then back to the field, then back to me.

"You like Peter?" She shout-whispered.

"It's not a huge deal, really. Just something that happened-"

"For two years?"

Oh crap, this wasn't what I wanted to happen.

"Susan, please, let's not make a huge deal out of this."

"But it is a huge deal!"

Well, she didn't look angry at least. Just _really _surprised. Which I expected her to be. I would if I were her. I didn't say anything, hoping that she would take it in, and realize that it really wasn't a huge deal...even though it kinda was...

She took a few minutes to regain herself and take it in, but she hadn't appeared angry, or anything bad, just still a bit surprised.

"Okay, sorry, that was uncalled for. It was just a bit of a shock is all."

I nodded. "I expected that."

"Well, I guess you can't help who you like. And he isn't your biological brother...but, what about Caspian?"

"This is why it's all so strange. I've liked Peter, that sounds so weird out loud, for a couple of years, yet I've known Caspian for the better part of a week, and I feel so much more strongly for Caspian than I ever did for Peter. That's why it's so weird for me. And, also, I feel kind of guilty because I don't think that I feel anything for Peter anymore. But feelings don't just go away that quickly..."

Susan thought for a moment. "I think feelings can go away that quickly in certain situations, and that's if you really feel something strong and special for someone else. And in your case, that's definitely what's happened." We both looked back over at Peter and Edmund, who had now been joined by Caspian. "Okay, now looking at both of them together, who're you looking and thinking about?"

I was looking at Caspian. I hadn't even glanced over at Peter. "Caspian. Always Caspian."

Susan put her hand on mine. "There's your answer."

For some reason I wanted to cry, and Susan could see that. She scooted right next to me and gave me a hug.

"Thank you so much for understanding." I said, holding onto her tightly.

"What're sisters for?" She replied, and I smiled at her when we let go of each other. I looked back over at Caspian, and saw that he, Peter, and Edmund were laughing around. At least he was happier now. Something I couldn't say for myself as something else had just popped into my mind. Something so obvious that I should've thought about it days ago.

Most of us had woken up at midday the next day, as we had lost out on a night's worth of sleep from the night raid. We had lunch together, and then when I had finished, I made my way up to the outer upper level of the How, as I just wanted to be alone. I sat down crossed legged on the grassy patch and started thinking.

I had been upset and depressed since I realized something yesterday after the talk with Susan. It sounds obvious, but when you're developing strong feelings for someone that you're around almost every minute of the day, you forget about the obvious. And what I realized yesterday, was that Caspian and I could never be together. I don't belong in this world, and I have to go back to England sooner or later. Realizing this made me not want to look at him, but I had to so that he would see that nothing was wrong. At least I hoped that I had covered it up well because I didn't want him to think that it was anything to do with our almost kiss yesterday.

Susan then sat down next to me and I smiled at her in greeting. She smiled back, but then said,

"Don't try to cover it up, Alex. You know I can tell when you're upset."

"Right."

"Is it the same thing from yesterday?"

I shook my head, looking down at my hands in my lap. "No, it's something that I realized after our talk yesterday."

"What is it?"

"Something obvious." I ran my thumbs repeatedly over each other, trying not to get too upset again. "I can never be with Caspian."

There was a pause. "Why not?"

I looked up at her. "We're from two separate worlds. And we'll have to return to England sooner or later. You guys did."

"Only by accident. After we were crowned, we stayed and ruled in Narnia for fifteen years. Earth became a dream, even a dream of a dream. It wasn't reality, and Narnia makes you forget about those things, because you're in such a magical and different land that you forget about any other lives you have lived. And who says that you'll be going back to England any time soon? You could be here for fifteen years, or more than that for that matter. No one knows. You just have to live in reality and not think about the future." She had a good point, but I still think that Caspian and I could never be together, but then, I never thought Narnia was real and definitely that I'd never see it for myself. I smiled and nodded, feeling a little better I guess. "And besides," Susan carried on, "Even if we do go back to England sooner than we want to, I know that you'll come back here. We've all come back twice. Who's to say that you won't too?"

She smiled at me and I felt much better. She was the expert about Narnia after all, having ruled in it for fifteen years.

I'm very glad that we had stopped talking at that moment because Caspian and Edmund then rounded the corner, all geared up in their fighting outfits, equipped with their weapons as well.

"Are we off to battle already? I'm still recovering from the last one." I grinned, trying to add a sense of humour into my tone, which they all thankfully understood.

"Not yet. We were just wondering if you girls wanted to get in some more practise. We have some free time." Caspian asked, looking at both of us, but then his eyes rested on mine, and I instantly smiled without even realizing it. I then looked at Susan and she looked at me, both deciding whether we were in a fighting mood. I looked back up at Caspian.

"Maybe in a little bit. We just wanted to sit a talk for a while. Haven't really had much peace around here in the last couple of days."

"Mind if we join you, then?" Edmund asked, not really waiting for an answer as he already took his seat.

"No, course not." Susan said, and Caspian took his seat too, and we were all kind of sitting in a circle now.

We must have talked for what seemed like hours, about many things, mainly fighting tactics, and Edmund and Susan wanted to know more about Caspian as they didn't know him that well. Caspian asked about their lives back in England, as he practically knew everything about me from our talk that we had the first night we met each other. Although, he didn't disclude me from the conversation as he had thought up many new questions for me to answer. It was a lot of fun just sitting around and talking about non-serious things, which we didn't find often to do with the situation that we're all stuck in at the moment. Edmund, Susan, and I found ourselves talking a lot about our childhood, and the stupid and silly pranks and tricks we used to play on each other, and the trouble we used to get into when we were all together and causing a riot. Lucy of course was always the innocent one in all of these situations as she was much younger than us and was only following our examples, which were quite bad ones because that's just kids all over. Edmund was of course the trouble maker and the little monster in the family, and Susan and I told Caspian that Edmund used to pour various substances all over us, such as orange juice, cranberry juice, and sometimes milk, all of which were so hard to get out of our hair. But, it was all good fun at the end of the day as we had all enjoyed ourselves as we were playing together as a family, and it's quite rare that you get young boys and girls getting along with each other as well as we did.

But, just as we were all enjoying ourselves and telling ridiculous stories, Caspian looked towards the forest, and then his facial expression just completely changed.

"In the name of..." He trailed off and jumped to his feet, facing the forest and not taking his eyes off of it. The rest of us looked, and all followed in Caspian's footsteps of jumping to our feet and looking at what was emerging from the forest.

Miraz' army was here. And it was in the thousands.


	9. Chapter 9

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Nine~*~The Challenge~***

We were back in the Stone Table room, making fast battle plans because Miraz' army weren't going to wait forever. They'll most likely attack as soon as possible because our numbers were much less than theirs.

When Peter had told everyone the plan, Trumpkin didn't take it too well. "Cakes and kettledrums! That's your next big plan?" He then pointed at Lucy, while he was still addressing Peter. "Sending a little girl alone into the darkest parts of the forest alone?"

"It's our only chance." Peter told him sternly.

I stepped forwards. "And she won't be alone."

Trumpkin looked at me and then went over to Lucy. "Haven't enough of us died already?" He was looking really worried and concerned for Lu.

"Nikabrik was my friend too, but he lost hope." Trufflehunter added in. "Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I."

Reepicheep raised his sword. "For Aslan!"

"I'm going with you." Trumpkin said to Lucy, and she put her hand on his shoulder.

"No, we need you here."

"We have to hold them off until Lucy and Alex get back." Peter told Trumpkin, but it applied to everyone in the room.

"If I may..." Caspian was sitting next to Cornelius on some steps. He had been quiet up until now. He stood up when everyone looked at him and Peter made no move to cut across him. "Miraz may be a tyrant, and a murderer. But as King, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time." We were all eagerly listening by now, as we needed all the knowledge and time that we could get. "A single combat. As King, the people will want to see his power and his bravery in battle. So challenging Miraz to a single combat, King against King, I tell you that he will not refuse."

Peter looked at Edmund, and then looked back. "You're certain that he will accept this challenge."

"Most definitely." Caspian said.

After that, Caspian explained the rules of the combat, and then they, with the Professor's help, structured a formal letter on a scroll challenging Miraz and explaining the combat, at which Edmund would soon take to Miraz and present it. Edmund left almost immediately, dressed in his King armour, with the logo of the Lion on the front of his armour. He left with Glenstorm and Wimbleweather the giant, who would accompany him when he read the scroll out to Miraz and the Royal Counsel, who were situated within the forest on the opposite side of the field.

On the other hand, just as they left, Peter had come over to me and Lucy. "You girls better go and get ready. You have to leave as soon as possible if we want any chance of finding Aslan before the battle begins." Lucy and I nodded, and we went to the room that Lucy, Susan, and I kept our things, which was on the upper level of the How, to get changed, and to make sure that we had everything we needed. Susan was preparing with the archers in another room and were slowly making their way to the outer upper level of the How, all equipped with their bows and arrows. The rest of the Narnians were also getting ready in various parts of the How, and then going out into the open to stand in front of the How so that they could be on the alert for any signs of Miraz' army making a move to attack.

I attached my quiver of arrows across my shoulder and back, and then my bow followed. I made sure that I could move okay with them there and that they weren't too tight or loose. Caspian then came into the room, holding the reins of his horse, Destier. I then looked at my swords, which were in their sheaths on one of the flat rocks in the room. I picked up one of the them and took it out of it's sheath, looking at it, debating. But, I then re-sheathed it and put it back into it's original position.

"How come you're not taking your swords?" Lucy asked, making me look at her.

"It'll be too much. A bow is more effective when you're in a hurry and on horseback. Besides, I've become much more skilled with a bow and arrow now because I've been trained well." I looked at Caspian and grinned, at which he returned. I turned back to Lucy and helped her fix her clock securely. I noticed that she looked a little subdued. "Hey, you okay?" I put my hands on her shoulders and ducked my head and shoulders so that I was more on her level. She nodded.

"Yeah. I just wish that he could've shown up. Like last time. Come roaring in and save us."

"Well, it's like you said. Maybe we have to prove ourselves to him that we still have faith. And we do. So we need to take the stand and go to him. Things don't always happen the same way, right." Lucy looked at me then, and something in her face told me that something miraculous just happened. I Was a little confused, and it showed in my expression. "What?" Lucy then looked at me for a bit longer, but then shook her head.

"No, don't worry."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Okay then. Are you ready to go?" I said, standing back up to my height.

"Yes, I have everything." She touched her dagger and cordial naturally.

"Alright then."

We walked over to Caspian. "Are you girls ready?" He asked, making sure that Destier was standing still so that we could mount. Having never ridden horses much before, I was a little frightened. Caspian noticed this.

"Do you know how to ride?" I shook my head. "Don't worry, it's easy. Here." He helped me mount Destier and once I was comfortably sitting on the saddle, he then lifted Lucy up with ease to sit behind me. She held onto my waist with both arms. I grabbed the reins, but I really had no idea what I was doing. The only time I had ridden a horse was coming back from the night raid, but that was just walking, and Caspian was holding onto the reins and leading the horse so I wasn't actually doing anything. "You kick the horse gently in the side to determine his speed, so a couple is walking, more is trot, more is canter, you get the general idea." I nodded. "Use the reins to guide him and also to slow him down. And you're going to have to move your body in sync with his." I breathed deeply and nodded, feeling majorly nervous. But I had to do this for the team, so I kept my head high. Caspian then took my foot and put it in the stirrup. "Keep your weight on the heel of your foot."

"Okay. I think I got it. Thank you." I smiled at him in thanks.

"Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands."

"Or hooves." Lucy said, making us all grin. I adjusted myself on the saddle so that I was more comfortable, and Destier moved a little, but didn't run off or anything. Caspian then looked up at me, and the grin vanished, and worry replaced it. "Good luck."

"Thank you." He then pulled out Susan's horn and held it out for me to take.

"Here. I think your sister might want you to have this. Just in case." I contemplated, but then thought of a better reason.

"You hold onto it. Who knows, you might need to call me again." I grinned at him, a little teasingly, and he smiled back, a little shocked at my forwardness, but he seemed to enjoy it. I then kicked Destier lightly in the sides several times, and he cantered down the tunnel, as Caspian watched us go.

"'You might need to call me again'?" Lucy asked from behind me.

"Oh, shut up." I said, grinning, and she laughed, holding me tighter around the waist as we rode out of the How and into the open, where the Narnians were all standing in front of the How. I stopped Destier momentarily and looked up at the upper level, seeing Susan and Trumpkin. I smiled at them and then turned to the stone ruins, and saw Peter, Edmund, Glenstorm and Zuro standing there, all looking at me and Lucy. I looked at them, suddenly having the feeing of danger, and worry, and whether I'm going to see them again soon. It was a deep moment that Lucy and I shared with them. But before I could allow my self to get emotional, I turned to look forward and kicked Destier, head enough so that he reared up and sprang forward into a gallop, and everyone was soon out of sight, as we reached the trees to the right of the How.

Lucy and I had been riding through the forest for about ten minutes, and we had slowed down to a slow gallop so that Destier didn't get tired out too easily. But, we suddenly heard more hooves behind us. Lucy looked behind her as I kicked Destier to quicken his pace, at which he did immediately. "They've seen us!" Lucy desperately informed me. Oh my God, what am I going to do? I've got to protect my little sister, make sure that Destier's okay, and I've got to get to Alsan, and I have no idea where he is! Things really couldn't get any worse at the moment. I looked behind briefly, to see at least four or five soldiers. I looked ahead and made a quick decision, that was probably the best one so that Lucy was protected.

I pulled Destier to a halt, and quickly climbed off. "Take the reins." I said to Lucy, helping her scoot forward.

"What''re you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Lu. It looks like you'll be going after all." I saw the look of panic in Lucy's face as she took the reins. "Never lose faith." I told Lucy, just before I clapped Destier and he trotted off. I turned in the direction of the soldiers while I got my bow into my hand and strung an arrow. I looked behind me and saw that Lucy and Destier had stopped on a mound, and Lucy was looking at me. I gave her a nod, and Lucy took one last look at me, and then kicked Destier, and they rode off out of sight. I turned back to the soldiers. The feeling of loneliness really took a hard hit at that point, as I felt the height of the trees surrounding me. But, I could feel my body soar with bravery and determination, and so I raised my bow and arrow, thinking back to the lessons with Caspian and Susan. How Caspian had touched my hand and stood so close, and how Susan got me into the mind set of an archer, saying to me 'Trust in this bow, and it will not easily miss.' I took aim and fired, hitting a soldier and knocking him off his horse. I then fired two more times, hitting two other soldiers. I fumbled quickly to put the next arrow on as the final two soldiers were getting close, but just as I was about to aim, one of the Telamrine's got too close and took a swing at me. I ducked quickly, dodging the attack, but as I turned around, the other horse collided with me and I fell backwards onto the ground, losing my bow and arrow somewhere. As I shuffled backwards into a log, the Telmarines advanced on me, and I was doomed. But just as they were about to take swings at me, I heard a battle cry and Caspian appeared out of nowhere on a horse. He defeated the two Telmarines until they were also dead, and then turned to me. I smiled and was relived, which made me smile wider as I looked up at Caspian. Caspian and the horse approached me. He smiled and held out his hand for me to take. "Are you sure you don't need that horn?" I laughed lightly and smiled more, before I grabbed my bow and grabbed onto his hand. I swung onto the horse behind Caspian, holding him round the waist as we headed back the way Lucy and I came.

"Thank God you came. I'm so grateful, Caspian." I said to him, as I leaned closely into his body.

"Don't mention it. I'd come and save you any day."

I blushed slightly, and was glad that he couldn't really see me. I just held him tighter.

"I hope Lucy's okay." I said, suddenly feeling worried and scared for her. She's only eleven. And she's riding through a forest in a very dangerous time all on her own."

"She's absolutely fine. She's a strong girl, and she'll find Aslan. She has a high spirit that one." I nodded, and tried to convince myself that he was right. But, he was right. Lucy's always had the hope and faith in these things, and she's always been right about it all. She'll find Aslan.

I tried not to think about it as we rode through the forest at a very fast pace.

* * *

Once we emerged from the trees and found ourselves on the battle field once more, we saw that Peter and Miraz were facing each other on the stone ruins, both wounded, and both panting heavily. Peter noticed us ride up, and then looked at Miraz and said something. Caspian put his elbow out for me to hold as I got down, while a faun also helped me down. Caspian jumped down next to me, and we both went to meet Peter on his side of the stone ruins, during what seemed like a break during the combat. Glenstorm and Edmund were also standing there.

"Lucy..." Peter said.

"She got through...with a little help." I informed him, looking at Caspian to indicate that he was the one who provided the help.

"Thanks." Peter said to Caspian.

"Well, you were busy." Caspian replied.

Peter then looked back at me. "You better get your swords, just in case. I don't expect the Telmarines will keep their word. We're going to have to fight sooner or later." I looked behind me at the archers, and saw Susan in the middle. I then looked at the Narnian soldiers, and saw the worry and fear on each of their faces. The atmosphere was a scary one to be in – I didn't know what was stronger; bravery or fear. I turned and walked over to Peter and gave him a hug, at which he winced.

"Sorry." I said.

"It's alright." He was hurting badly. I wish there was something that I could do, but no one could do anything but him.

"Be careful."

I then ran inside, while the Narnians all cheered as Peter raised his word and forced a smile for them all to see.

I ran inside, heading towards the room where I left my swords just before Lucy and I left. But once I got there, I found that my swords were gone. I instantly panicked, rushing round the room and looking everywhere I could, but I couldn't see them anywhere. My heart was beating so fast by this point. "Crap, crap, crap!" I then thought to look in the Stone Table room, and so I started to run there, through the dozens of tunnels and passageways in this place, but I found myself getting lost, even though I did this route about ten times a day. I was really starting to panic by this point, and so I stopped and leaned against the wall, breathing deeply and trying to calm myself down. Everything was just too much, it wasn't even about the swords. Everything had just happened so fast since about an hour ago. There's an army about three times our size over the other side of the field who can wipe us out in no time, the morale was low because we had no Aslan, Lucy is off somewhere in the forest trying to find him, and we have no idea whether she's okay or not and no way of finding out, Peter was in single combat with this powerful and terrifying guy, and all my family are in danger by being at the centre of the battle.

I had a minute or two leaning against the wall, calming myself down. I took a deep breath, and then carried on to the Stone Table room, much slower this time so that I could not send myself into panic-mode again. Once in the room, I found my swords laying on the Stone Table. I breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped the belt around my waist, making sure that both my swords were sheathed. I then ran back outside, to find Peter and Miraz in close combat. I went over to stand between Edmund and Caspian, all closely watching the battle.

Both Peter's and Miraz' swords were on the ground, and so Miraz tried to slam his shield into Peter, but Peter managed to grab it and they had a struggle with who's going to get the upper hand. But Peter then twisted Miraz' arm behind him, and just as I thought that Peter was about to win, Miraz elbowed him in the face, and then pushed him into one of the pillars. I gasped and grabbed onto Edmund's arm, unable to blink at the situation in front of me. Miraz picked up his sword and took a swing at Peter, but Peter managed to roll away, so that Miraz hit the pillar instead. He then took another swing, and Peter blocked it with his vambrace. Peter quickly stood up and punched Miraz' wounded leg, making Miraz yell and fall to his knees, dropping his sword.

"Respite!" Miraz shouted. Peter went to punch Miraz, but Miraz held up his hands repeating, "Respite!"

"Now's not the time for chivalry, Peter!" Edmund shouted to Peter, knowing that Miraz would do anything to not lose. But Peter, being the nice and fair guy that he is, hesitated, and was looking back and forth between Miraz and Edmund. He then lowered his hand, and started to walk back over to us, but once Peter had his back turned, Miraz grabbed his sword, jumped up, and ran at Peter.

"Peter!" I yelled.

"Look out!" Edmund yelled, both of us yelling at the same time. Peter dodged just in time, and then grabbed the sword and twisted round and stabbed Miraz under the arm. Miraz gasped and fell to his knees once again. Peter hesitated again while holding Miraz' sword in order to cut off Miraz' head.

"What's the matter, boy?" Miraz asked Peter. "Too cowardly to take a life?"

Peter didn't answer for a moment, but then I heard in a harsh voice, "It's not mine to take." Peter then turned around and looked at Caspian, holding out the sword for him to take. I looked at Caspian, just as he looked at Miraz. I could feel the anger rolling off of him, and I could tell that he wanted this opportunity to do what he's wanted to do for a while now. Caspian walked forward, and took the sword from Peter. Peter picked up his own sword and backed off, coming to stand with Edmund and I. Caspian stood in front of Miraz and raised the sword to Miraz' face. I could just about hear their voices.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you." Miraz told Caspian in a small voice. "Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine King after all." Miraz then bowed his head, not looking at Caspian. Caspian then raised the sword, emitted a battle cry, and stabs the patch of grass in front of Miraz. Miraz looked up at him surprised.

"Not one like you." Caspian told him, and stood back up to his full height. "Keep your life, but I am giving the Narnians back their Kingdom." I instantly smiled, seeing how brave and loyal and genuine he was. He had the perfect opportunity to avenge his father, but he didn't take it because it would destroy the person that Caspian is, and that no matter what he did, it wouldn't bring his father back.

He then turned and walked back to us. The Narnians all cheered loudly. I touched his arm when he came to stand with us and he smiled down at me. Peter, Edmund, and Glenstorm were smiling also. But just as Caspian and I turned to go into the How, we heard,

"Treachery! They shot him! They murderer our King!"

We quickly turned round to see Miraz lying face down on the stone ruins, with one of Susan's arrows in his back. I turned to look at Susan, asking her in my expression if she fired, but she shook her head. I turned back to the stone ruins and then looked at Caspian, and saw that he was looking at Miraz in shock. I think he was okay though.

Peter then pointed at the Narnians. "Be ready!"

"Peter!" Caspian shouted, and both Peter and Edmund turned back round to see a soldier running at them, but before he could swing, Peter slashed his leg, and as the soldier fell, Peter cut off his head. I grimaced and looked away, but I thought that I can't do that anymore because I was about to go into full-on battle with the Telmarines.

"Go!" Peter yelled behind him, and then he and Edmund ran to the front of the stone ruins, taking their stance. I then looked at Caspian, in a kind of desperate way. I had to go with Peter and Edmund and lead the fight, while Caspian had to go and lead a different party. It was one of those moments where we looked deep into each others eyes, wondering if we would see each other again. He put his hand on the side of my face, stroking my cheekbone with his thumb. We stayed like that for a few seconds, before we had to go our separate ways. While Caspian turned and mounted his horse, I ran for the boys and took my stance on the other side of Peter.

"To arms, Telmar! To arms!" The Telmarines all cheered and raised their weapons. The battle had now begun.


	10. Chapter 10

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Ten~*~The Battle~***

Peter, Edmund, and I drew as our swords as soon as we saw that the Telmarines had started to use their catapults. They were firing huge boulders at us, but thankfully, they weren't aiming very well. They hit around the stone ruins, a couple into the How, but only the top so it thankfully didn't collapse. They only managed to hit just in front of some of the Narnians, causing some of them to be thrown backwards a little, but they jumped right back up into their positions and looked uninjured. I turned back to look at the army, and the Calvary were starting to charge forwards. I honestly didn't know what to do at this point, but that didn't stop me from keeping my stance and starring down the Calvary. They were galloping at us at an alarming rate I have to say.

"Archers to the ready!" I heard Susan yell behind me to her army of archers. I looked at Peter, and he seemed to be waiting for something, and I instantly knew what it was. He then suddenly looked behind him and I followed his gaze, and Caspian understood what Peter had meant. Caspian turned his horse round and galloped into the How, Glenstorm at his heels. Now we had to wait for Caspian and his army to make their move. A few seconds later, we heard the echo of a horn being blown beneath us, and the ground shook slightly as Caspian's army charged underground towards the Telmarine army. Peter then slowly started to count to ten, and with each number, the suspense grew higher and higher. The Calvary were gaining speed and getting closer and closer, but it also made me feel that much bravery with every hoof that touched the ground.

Just as Peter reached 'six', I heard Susan yell "Take your aim!" and Trumpkin follow her with "Stay with them!". The archers were ready to take fire once Caspian made his move with his army underground. Instead of 'ten', Peter then yelled, "Get ready!" After a few seconds, a section of the ground in front of the stone ruins then collapsed, and the charging Calvary were soon halted, with a few of the first lines falling into the newly formed pit. Caspian's army had succeeded in smashing the pillars underground to make the ground cave in, causing the Calvary to fall in. It had slowed them down greatly and had also reduced their number.

I smirked as the Telmarine's were shocked and were trying to recover from falling into the pit. But they weren't going to be able to recover for long as I heard Susan command, "NOW!" A hundred strings were flung forward, and a few seconds after, a hundred arrows fell from the sky in front of us, falling onto the Telmarines in the pit, causing the majority to die instantly.

"Charge!" Peter yelled, raising his sword and sprinting into battle. The Narnians and I followed in suit, while Edmund jumped off a rock onto a horse and began firing at the Telmarines with a crossbow. I didn't let anything hold me back in this battle. I threw myself into it, killing soldiers left and right, using my swords much more in this fight as I had missed them in the woods when I only had my bow.

Just as I kicked another soldier to the ground, Caspian and the underground party emerged from three holes in the ground, all cantering and running up the ramps. They all had their weapons raised and they all turned towards the Telmarines and charged, as the holes that were formed where on the left, right, and behind the Calvary.

I sprang into battle mode again, kicking, punching, and slashing soldiers all around me, determined to not let any of them live after what they had done to Narnia since the Golden Age. And as I fought more within the battle, I found myself getting more and more angry, which was good because then I had more energy to kick some serious butt. From what I could feel in the atmosphere around me, the rest of the Narnians were also angry, and we were all fighting well. Even Trufflehunter the badger had joined in the fight, and Reepicheep and his mice were weaving in and out of peoples feet and were picking their targets to take down.

I then noticed that the rest of the Telmarine army then started to move forward in a march. There were loads of them. Even though we were all fighting pretty well, we were just about managing with the Calvary, let alone the rest of the army. Maybe I was just too caring and worried about everything, when I knew that they could handle themselves, being the strong warriors that they are. I saw Caspian look over to the army too, and he then raised his sword in the air, and motioned for the next wave of attack. The griffins flew into the battle, carrying a dwarf each, who were armed with bows and arrows. They flew towards the rest of the Telmarine army, firing arrows at as many as they could. But, the Telmarines then started to fire a second type of catapults that had huge wooden spears attached to them. These were then fired and they hit most of the griffins and the dwarfs, bringing them down to collide with the ground.

I fought off a few more soldiers who were climbing out of the pit by either kicking them back into the pit, or stabbing them in the chest. I then looked over at Peter, as he looked at me.

"Lucy?" He said, and I looked behind him, and then back at him. I shook my head, and I could feel the colour drain from my face. Has something happened to her? Peter then yelled, "Back to the How!" As we all ran back towards the How, boulders were then being aimed at the How, trying to cut off our escape. A couple of rocks started to fall on the How, and Susan and the archers were trying to balance themselves as rocks were falling from above them, and below their feet.

We then had to stop quickly because the entrance to the How collapsed and instead of an opening, it was a huge pile of rock and stone. We were trapped in the field with the Telmarines. Caspian then appeared beside me off of the horse, and we looked up towards Susan as we noticed a tree fall from one of the levels of the How right by her. Susan was thrown off balance and fell over the edge, but Trumpkin managed to grab her hand and suspend her and stop her from falling a long way. We were looking at her in horror as we thought for a few seconds that Susan was going to get very badly hurt. I would be eternally grateful to Trumpkin for saving my sister.

Once Susan had stopped swinging, Trumpkin gently let her go and so fell a few metres and landed on her feet safely. Peter, Edmund, Caspian, and I then turned around to see the Telmarines were on our left, right, and in front of us. The only way we were going to get out of being surrounded was to fight. And everyone else realized this. Line by line, the Telmarines were charging and fighting the Narnians nearest to them. Susan and Trumpkin then came to join us and as we all stood in a line, Peter looked at all of us, and then charged forwards, the rest of us following in suit. We all had newly found energy to fight for our Kingdom and our lives.

We charged into the Telmarines and started fighting them with all the energy and skills that we had, killing any Telmarine that came near us. We kicked and punched them down left, right, and centre. The only things you could hear were clangs and cries, both painful and battle ones. I found myself feeling like a true Narnian warrior as I fought for their freedom and lives. We weren't going to let any one of the Telmarines put us down, and we definitely weren't going to let them defeat us. This was our turf, and we're going to claim it back with all we've got.

I had no wall to kick off to do some of my high and flying kicks, which is what I'm best at. And so, I decided to use a Telmarine instead. Just as I saw one charge at me, I ran in the opposite direction and picked a target, and he thankfully had his back turned to me. I ran towards him, jumped up, kicked off of his back (at which the force of my push caused him to fall face first into the giant pit) and spun round in mid-air to kick the other Telmarine that was charging towards me. Two birds with one stone. I landed squarely on my feet and if I say so myself, that stunt was pretty awesome! I saw Caspian in front of me and he was grinning at me. I think he must have seen my move. I grinned and laughed, and turned around to kick some more butt.

We were still fighting for another ten or so minutes, and the Telmarines number didn't seem to be getting any less. But thankfully, I hadn't got knocked down at all. I wasn't allowing the Telmarines that option. Just then, I saw that Caspian was battling two soldiers, and they had the upper hand. They managed to push Caspian far enough back so that Caspian toppled into the pit. I made a run over to him, but three soldiers jumped me, causing me to stop and continue fighting. They were really hench guys and were really skilled with their tactics, and so I had to resort to Martial Arts skills for these three. I managed to quickly jump in the air and kicked one of them hard around the head before they even realized what was going on. And then I knocked the other two off their feet but doing a really low spinning kick. I then stabbed them both in the chest. Brutal, but necessary. I then ran to the edge and looked over to see Caspian on the ground, with one of the chief Telmarines holding a pike towards him. But then, a huge tree root came out of the ground and knocked out the Telmarine. Caspian and I were both really confused, and I found myself just standing there, looking at where the tree root was. And then, which made me more confused, the Telmarines just abandoned their fighting and ran back towards the way that they had marched and charged towards us. Just as Peter helped Caspian out of the pit and both came over to me, we turned and saw that the tree were all fighting too. They had left their spots in the ground, and were using some of their roots as legs and so of them as arms to help us fight. I gasped, but more of a happy gasp and an amazed gasp. I looked at Peter. "Lucy." He looked at me and grinned. I really couldn't believe it. The relief on our faces was clearly evident. All the Narnians were cheering as the trees drove the Telmarines backwards, as well as taking out the catapults. Peter then raised his sword.

"For Aslan!"

We and the Narnians then all charged towards the Telmarines, and as a Telmarine horn was blown, every one of the Telmarines turned and ran from us, as we all sprinted across the field and through the forest, until we hit a pebble beach, a river, and a wooden bridge.

We found that some of the Telmarines, including the other chief on the horse, had stopped on the bridge, some were up to their waist in water, and some were facing us on the beach. We all still had our weapons raised, but none of us were fighting.

Peter, Edmund, Susan, Caspian, Trumpkin, and I were at the front, and we saw that the thing that had caused the halt for the Telmarines was Lucy. She was standing on the other side of the bridge, on her own, holding out her dagger. Thank Aslan she's okay! And then, the great Aslan himself then appeared next to her, and he really was a magnificently huge Lion. His fur almost looked as if it was made from gold rather then just a normal lion's colour.

But, a lion and a little girl wasn't going to stop the Telmarines.

"Charge!" The chief called, and he started to gallop across the bridge, and his soldiers were running behind him and also wading through the water. But, they were once again halted but one of Aslan's mighty roars.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, and everything was silent. We were waiting for something to happen. And then it did. The river's current started to get a lot more fierce, and then a River-God was produced all out of water, and it must have been about ten or fifteen stories high if it was situated next to a building. The Telmarines were all alarmed and tried to run from it. To tell you the truth, I was a little alarmed at the River-God, but I knew it was on our side so that calmed me greatly.

The River-God then snapped the middle section of the bridge from it's edges, with which the chief was still situated on. He tried to fight the River-God by waving his sword near it's face formed from the water, but the River-God just smashed his head onto the chief and the bridge, and everything breaks, and the chief was killed. The River-God then disappeared by falling out of his form and returning to what the river looked like originally; it's calm self.

Everything then changed round as the Narnians had won the battle. We were all so happy it was unreal. Many of the Narnians then went either side of the river to take charge of the Telmarines. We had them surrender their weapons and to go and stand in a group, which was guarded by several centaurs. The wounded Narnians were looked after and treated by those who weren't helping getting the Telmarines in order.

"Come on. Time to meet Aslan." Peter said to me, but I hesitated.

"Umm, you know what? I think I'll just stay here and help with these Telmarines. You guys go ahead."

"Alex, don't be shy." Edmund said.

"I'm not shy. Honestly, just go ahead." I didn't give them time to respond as I walked away, heading over to where some fauns were holding the reins of several horses. I mounted a white one, and I kicked her lightly so that she walked into the river and waited in the knee-deep water nearer the other side of the river. I started to help get the Telmarines in order, by ordering them where to go. I saw that Trumpkin had also waded over to this side of the river to help get the Telmarines in order. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Caspian had reached the other side of the river to talk to Aslan. I was in earshot of them, and I secretly watched them, curious to know what they were like around Aslan, and what Aslan himself was like.

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Caspian all got down on one knee and bowed. Lucy was still standing next to Aslan.

"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia." Aslan said, and he had such a deep and powerful voice. Caspian had stayed bowing while the other three rose. "All of you."

Caspian looked up in shock, and then looked down again slightly. "I do not think I am ready."

"It's for that very reason I know you are." Caspian then rose, and I couldn't help but smile over at him. Not that he was looking. I had my back turned to them, but I was looking over my shoulder, completely forgetting that I was supposed to be helping the Narnians.

Several mice then walked in between their legs, carrying Reepicheep on a little stretched. Lucy rushed over and gave Reep a little drop from her cordial. He soon got up, no longer injured.

"Oh, thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you." He then saw Aslan. "Oh, hail Aslan! It is a great honour to be in..." He tried to bow, but stumbled forwards. He then looked behind him to see that he no longer had a tail. I inwardly gasped, turning a little on the saddle to get a better view of the scene. Reepicheep carried on talking. "I am completely out of countenance! I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion." He then turned to Lucy. "Perhaps a drop more?"

Lucy looked sad as she looked between her cordial and Reep. "I don't think it does that."

Reep wasn't going to give up so easily. "You could give it a go."

"It becomes you well, small one." Aslan said.

"All the same, Great King, I regret that I must withdraw. For a tail is the honour and glory of a mouse."

"Perhaps you think too much of your honour, friend."

"Well, it's not just the honour. It's also great for balance. And climbing. And grabbing things." Aw bless his little heart. Aslan smiled at him kindly.

Another mouse then spoke. "May it please Your High Majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honour denied to our chief." The rest of the mice then held their swords to their tails, ready to cut them off. But Aslan laughed.

"Not for the sake of your dignity, but for the love of your people."

Reepicheep's tail then grew back. I was astonished and I couldn't help but smile in happiness for Reep. He really did deserve it. He himself was overjoyed. "Oh! Oh look! Thank you! Thank you my liege!" Aslan bowed his head slightly to Reep in a 'you're welcome' kind of way. "I will treasure it always! From this day forward, it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility." Aslan laughed once more.

But, he then looked over at me, and the smile immediately vanished from my face. Why did I have to be so curious? I couldn't look away now as the others all looked over at me too. I knew that I had to go over. I dismounted my horse slowly. It's not that I didn't want to go over, but I really felt that I had intruded in on this world and I honestly thought that Aslan was going to banish me.

I slowly walked over, biting my lip. Once I reached them, I bowed.

"Rise, dear one." Aslan told me gently. I did so, and looked at Aslan. "My dear child. You have served Narnia well, for which you must be rewarded, for no great kindness should go unnoticed." I was genuinely shocked at this point. I could see out of the corner of my eye that the others were smiling at me, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from Aslan. "Please, kneel." I did as he said, and he put his massive right paw on my shoulder. "Rise, Miss Alexandra the Dexterous, one of the finest warriors Narnia has ever known." I smiled and rose, feeling like a true Narnian. I thanked Aslan and bowed again, at which he bowed slightly too. I then walked over to the others (and Reepicheep and his mice) and they all did a little bow too. It made me go a little red, and I walked over to stand by Susan, who grinned at me.

"Now, where's this Dear Little Friend you've told me so much about?" Aslan said, addressing Lucy.

Trumpkin then looked over nervously while we all looked at him. He slowly walked over, and bowed before Aslan, pointing his sword into the ground and holding the hilt of it with both hands. Aslan then roared loudly and Trumpkin shuddered.

"Do you see him now?" Lucy asked. We all grinned, and Trumpkin smiled a little too, quite apologetically. Aslan then turned back to us.

"We shall have the coronation of a new King on the field by the How once everything is sorted out here. We will then return to your Kingdom, King Caspian the Tenth. Return to the How when everything is in order." We all bowed to him, and he walked off in direction of the field where the battle took place.

Susan then turned to me, smiling, and hugged me tighter.

"We did it!" I said, and grinned also. I was so happy that it was unreal. I then went over to hug Caspian. Well, I actually ended up jumping into his arms and wrapping my arms around his neck, hugging him really tightly. We broke apart after a while, but still stood close to each other.

"You were amazing today." He told me, smiling down at me.

"Not really. Your fighting skills were brilliant! I mean fighting on a horse? I'd probably kill myself." I laughed.

"Ah, but I can't kick off someone's back and spin round and kick another guy in the face." He said, grinning down at me. I felt myself go red again.

"Okay then, I'll give you that." I laughed a little, making him laugh too.

"And congratulations on your new title! I knew that you belonged here." Caspian told me. That was probably the thing that made me happiest. I gave him a second hug, thanking him.

I talked to the others afterwards and once everything was in order with the Telmarines, we went to meet Aslan. We found that the field was all completely clean. There wasn't a body, or a weapon in sight. The giant pit we had formed was also filled in. The field looked as good as new.

Aslan had performed Caspian's coronation in front of the How, and Glenstorm had crowned him. All of the Narnians were present, as were the remainder of the Telmarine soldiers. It was a beautiful ceremony, and Aslan had conjured formal gowns and clothes for us to wear to the ceremony, and we had found them in the Stone Table room.

We wore these gowns, on horseback, as we entered the village outside what was now Caspian's Castle and Kingdom. The villagers and Narnians had all gathered along the main street leading to the bridge to the castle to cheer for their new King, and the safe return of the Narnian soldiers. Caspian was up front, then Peter and Aslan side by side behind him, then Susan and I, then Edmund and Lucy behind us. The villagers were throwing flowers and various forms of confetti as we rode through the village. It was the happiest I had seen Narnia since we had been here, and it made me really happy to be able to be a part of it.


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey guys! This is my first author's note. I just want to say that I'm very thankful and appreciative to those of you who have posted reviews, and who have put this story on their alerts and favourites. And also, when you read this chapter, you may think it's the end of my story, but it isn't I promise! So keep looking out for the next chapters :)_

_Please review! I'd love to heard what you all think of this chapter and story! Enjoy :D_

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Eleven~*~The Door In The Air~***

We had been at the castle for five days now, and it was a very different castle to the one we had tried to take over not a week ago. It had a warm and comfortable atmosphere, and it was much brighter now. The people and the Narnians were responding well to Caspian as their new king, and he was doing an amazing job of it. He just seemed to know what he was doing and what would please his people and his kingdom.

He had given Lucy, Peter, Edmund, Susan, and I each our own rooms, and they were huge! We were very grateful to be given the space all to ourselves. We girls were issued with gorgeous gowns and dresses, and the boys were given wonderful Narnian clothes. I was really starting to feel at home here, but one thing I did miss was Caspian. As he was now King, he had a lot of things to do during the day, and so my siblings and I only got to spend some time with him in the evening. He had counsels with the Lords to establish new laws for Narnia and all of these other things that I really didn't understand. It was hard that I couldn't spend hardly any time with Caspian, let alone unable to spend any alone time with him. He's either always doing something, or with some Lord, or when he is alone and I'm just about to talk to him, he gets called away to do more of his new duties. After a few days, I gave up trying.

The day we got back to the castle, we had a celebration for a new King and a free Kingdom. We had a miraculous ball, at which everyone dressed up in astonishing gowns and formal wear, and we all had an amazing time. Lucy and I were dancing to many songs as we finally had the chance to really loosen up since we got here, and before we got here actually, as things are still really stressful with the war and father being away. But, we had spent some evenings together as a family, and Caspian was able to escape from his work for a few evenings. One of the evenings, we had gone on horse riding. The six of us had a very good time, having races with the horses and travelling many miles in the evening. Caspian, and the others as they knew a lot about Narnia, had shown me many famous sights that were near Caspian's Kingdom, and they were all astonishing. Almost as good as seeing the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Egypt, or the Statue of Liberty in New York, or the Great Wall of China. We told many stories, and we had our own camp fire in one of the huge hills near the castle, and so we were able to see the castle at it's full magnificence. It was probably the best evening of my life.

But anyway, the ball. I had danced with many people that day. Peter, Edmund, some of the Fauns, the nicer Telmarines who were happy for the change, and then Caspian. The dance with Caspian was a lot different to the others. Typically, you would dance a waltz or a slower dance with your hand on the man's shoulder and then he'd hold your other hand. But with Caspian, it started out like that, but as we danced further into the song, it got much more intense. We completely forgot that we were in a room with hundreds of other people, and we danced very closely, and didn't look out of each others eyes. To each other, we were the only ones in that room. It was the first time since our almost kiss that we had a chance to be just with each other. Half way through the song, he had let go of my hand and moved it to my lower back, pulling me closer to him, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and shoulders, and rested my head on his collarbone, trying to hold him as close as possible. This was the moment that all of our feelings for each other were expressed, not verbally, but through our actions and the closeness. He had wrapped his arms tightly around me and lowered his head a little so that his face was buried in my hair. I then realized that I didn't want to ever leave. It was the moment that I knew that I couldn't bear the thought of going home, and that this was home. In his arms was my home. And I never wanted to leave.

Today was a bright and sunny day, much like the rest of the days had been, but it was warmer today, and so I sat on my window seat for a while, just looking out over the castle and the land of Narnia. This really was such a beautiful and magical place, and I understand why Susan, Lucy, Edmund, and Peter had stayed here for fifteen years when they were here the first time. I could easily do that now. I could live the rest of my life here. But I know that that will never happen because it would never be allowed. At least, I think it wouldn't be. Not for me anyway because I am no King or Queen and I am not needed to rule.

After sitting there for the nearer part of an hour, I got up and went out of the room. I went down a few corridors and down a few flights of stairs, heading to the lunch room. But before I got there, Susan rounded the corner. I waited at the corner for her, for when she looked up at me, she had a little bit of a subdued expression.

"Hey." I greeted, smiling at her, but not as much a I would have done because of her expression.

"Morning" She replied, coming to stand in front of me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned for her.

She took my hands in hers. "Aslan has just talked to Peter and I. He says that soon we're to go to the courtyard, and Caspian will give a speech to his people. And then..." She hesitated. "...and then we're leaving, We have to go back to England."

Immediately shut my eyes tightly, not wanting to cry. I've been dreading those words since the moment I realized that I was in love with Caspian. I opened my eyes again, but a tear escaped, running the full length of my cheek and fell off my face to make a little splash on the floor. I couldn't look her in the eye. I ignored the lump in my throat and found my voice.

"I didn't think it would be this soon."

Susan hugged me tightly, trying to make me feel better, but I don't think anything would have worked at this point. "I know sweetie. None of us did. Lucy and Edmund don't know yet. I just thought you ought to know so that you can go and see Caspian if you want to." I nodded and Susan stayed hugging me for a while, with me trying to blink my tears away.

After a little bit, I thought it would be best to go back to my room.

"I better go and get changed."

"Okay. I'll meet outside soon."

I just nodded, then turned and walked back up the stairs. But, as I was nearing my room, I saw Caspian walking down the corridor towards me. I quickly wiped my tears away before he saw it was me. I didn't want him to see me upset. So instead, I put on a smile. At least it was a natural smile, because every time I see him I tend to smile automatically.  
"Hi." I said, walking over to him. He looked up and noticed me, smiling.

"Alex. How are you today?" He asked, coming to stand close to me.

"I'm good." I said, a little lie but I didn't want to see him upset. "And yourself?"

"I'm very good now." He smiled and gave me a hug, at which I returned, but I couldn't help but feel whether this was the last time I would ever be alone with him. I pulled away and said,

"I was just on my way back to get changed. I'm told that you're going to give a speech to your people."

"Yes, I was just on my way now. But I'll wait and escort you down."

"Thank you." I smiled at him and briefly held his hand, and then I went into my room to get changed. I wore a long purple dress, with dark purple patterns on it. It was my favourite dress that I had been given. Caspian had given it to me himself. I then looked round the room, knowing that I'll never see it again. I looked over at my swords and bow and arrows. I've never fight with them again. I laid them out on my bed, thinking that when Caspian came in here after I leave, he'll see them and hopefully remember me.

Once I had everything in the room sorted, I made my way back outside the room, and found Caspian waiting for me. He smiled and offered me his arm, and then he led me down the corridors, down the stairs, and out into the open. Just as we were about to go down the main steps into the courtyard, from what I could see was piling up, I saw Peter standing on one of the upper levels, leaning on the balcony and looking down.  
"Umm, why don't you go ahead. I'll be down in a minute." I said to Caspian.

"Okay." He said, and kissed my hand. It sent tingles all up my arm, and I momentarily forgot about the events that would soon unfold.

While Caspian walked down the steps into the courtyard, I climbed the steps and went to stand next to Peter. Neither of us said anything at first. But then he spoke.

"I always thought that the next time I came here, I would be here until I died an old age." I looked at him and he really did look upset, even though he was trying to hide it. I put my hand on his and said,

"I thought that when we arrived at this castle last week." I looked down and saw Caspian greeting people, and then greeting Susan, Lucy and Edmund, who were standing at the front. I then leant my head on his shoulder and gripping his arm with both arms. I felt him look at me.

"Don't worry, Alex. You'll come back here. I know you will." He comforted me, but we soon put on smiles and headed down to the courtyard and stood with Susan, Lucy, and Edmund on Caspian's left, while Aslan, Cornelius, Trumpkin, Reepicheep, and Glenstorm. Caspian was standing in the middle and facing the courtyard.

"Narnia belongs to the Narnians just as it does to man." Caspian told everyone in a strong and King-like voice. "Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. And for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers."

A Telmarine Lord spoke up. "It's been generations since we left Telmar."

"We are not referring to Telmar." Aslan said. "Your ancestors were seafaring brigands, pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world. The same world as our Kings and Queens." My siblings and I were a little shocked that the Telmarines ancestors were from Earth. Caspian looked over at us, as did the rest of the courtyard. "It is to that island I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

The chief who had fought against us in the battle, but had hesitated to kill Caspian, spoke up first. "I'll go. I will accept the offer." As he came forward, Caspian bowed his head slightly to him, and Glozelle bowed back.

Caspian's aunt then spoke. "So will we." Her, carrying her baby, and another Telmarine Lord walked up. They stood before Aslan.

"Because you have spoken first, your future in that world shall be good." Aslan then breathed on them, and then looked towards the giant tree that was situated on the edge of the cliff behind us. It started twisting slowly, and then it formed a round opening in the middle. Everyone gasped as they saw what the tree did, and everyone then watched as the Telmarine Lords and Caspian's aunt with her baby then walked through the door in the air, and vanished out of sight. Everyone gasped again and there was muttering throughout the crowd.

One of the Telmarines then yelled, "How do we know he is not leading us to our deaths?"

Caspian wasn't sure what to do, so thankfully Reepicheep spoke. "Sire, if my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice through with no delay."

Peter and Susan then looked at each other, and then Aslan looked at them with a smile. Peter stepped forwards. "We'll go." My heart felt as though it had sunk to my stomach and I looked down slightly, wishing that this could all be a dream. Edmund and Lucy were shocked at what Peter had said.

"We will?" Edmund asked.

"Come on. Time's up." Peter said, addressing us. He then turned and walked over to Caspian holding out his sword for Caspian to take. "After all, we're not really needed here anymore."

Caspian took the sword with determination. "I will look after it until you return."

"I'm afraid that's just it..." Susan said. "...We're not coming back."

I looked up at Caspian's face, and his shocked and pained expression brought pain to my heart. Caspian looked at me, and this time I didn't smile. I was trying very hard not to break down.

"We're not?" Lucy was just as shocked.

"You three are." Peter said, walking back over to us. "I mean, I think he means you three." He glanced at Aslan. Lucy also looked at Aslan.

"But why? Did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, dear one." Aslan said. "But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learnt what they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in their own."

Peter walked over to Lucy and took her hand. "It's alright, Lu. It's not how I thought it would be...but it's alright. One day you'll see too. Come on." He and Lucy, followed by Edmund and Susan, walked over to say goodbye to Glenstorm and the others. I, on the other hand, went over to Caspian.

"I'm glad I was brought here." I said softly, looking up at him.

"I wish we had more time together."

That line made me tear up. "I'm gonna miss you." I told him, biting my lip. Caspian didn't hesitate to come over and hug me, even in front of all these people.

"You will always be remembered here. And I very much hope to see you again soon." We pulled away and looked into each others eyes. "I will see you again soon." I smiled at him, and he returned it. All I wanted to do was kiss him at that moment, but I didn't now whether it would make it harder for me to leave.

I turned to walk back to the others, but I felt Caspian grab my hand and pull me back towards him gently, kissing me on the lips. We both sank into the kiss, and it made me wonder why we hadn't done this before. It was only a short kiss, but his lips felt so soft that I would have kissed him for much longer if we weren't surrounded by hundreds of people. And he was also an amazing kisser; I could tell just by that one kiss. It was so tender, but also passionate, and we then knew how much we felt for each other. And I'm glad he did it, otherwise I would forever be wondering.

We pulled apart lightly to look into each other's eyes. I then tightly wrapped my arms around his waist, and he mirrored my actions, burying his face in my neck.

"I'm sure when I'm older I'll understand."

"I am older and I don't think I want to understand." I heard Lucy and Edmund say, and I pulled away from Caspian gently and laughed a little at their comments. I looked up and smiled at Caspian once more, who returned it. I then went over to stand with my siblings, finding that I had tears streaming down my face, but I quickly wiped them away. One by one, we then turned to walk through the opening, but Lucy and I briefly looked back, Lucy looking at Aslan, and me looking at Caspian. I decided to not let him remember me as crying the last time he saw me, and so instead I grinned at him, similar to the one that I had done just before Lucy and I set off on Destier to find Aslan. I made sure that Caspian could see the smile in my eyes. He returned my grin, and bowed his head slightly. I took one last look at him, and then turned with Lucy to walk through the door.

We found ourselves back on the underground station that we left on. I looked behind me, wanting to see Caspian, but all I saw was other kids ready to get on the train. I took a deep breath and forced myself to smile. I then noticed that the boy who was talking to Susan before we left got on the train, and turned to look at Susan.

"Aren't you coming, Phyllis?"

Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and I were all really confused, but we then hurried to grab our bags and things. We then rushed onto the train, and stood by the door, as there were no available seats. Peter put his arm around my shoulders, and I wrapped my arms around him, wanting someone to hug. Edmund was rummaging through his bag.

"Do you think there's any way we could get back?" We all looked at Edmund. "I've left my new torch in Narnia." We all laughed, and I felt a little better. I had my family, and so I would be okay. It's going to be hard for a few months, but, I have trusting shoulders to lean on.

The doors then closed, and the train pulled away into the tunnel, and this was the first stage of me moving on from my brief life in Narnia.


	12. Chapter 12

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twelve~*~Three Years~***

It had been a long three years. Three years since we were in Narnia. And they had been the worse three years of my life. And that's an under-exaggeration.

Looking in the mirror, I didn't recognize myself. I wasn't the same Alex that I once was. It's like the phrase 'I left my heart in San Francisco.' I had left mine in Narnia, and myself along with it. I knew that leaving Caspian would be really difficult in the first few months, but I thought that if I had my family and other things to keep me occupied, then I would get used to it and be fine. But that never happened. What made it worse was that I had no evidence of being to Narnia. Sometimes I think that it was all a dream, but then Susan or one of the others will talk about Narnia, and then I know that it's reality. A reality that I don't want to be in.

I think about him everyday, and I dream about him every night. He's taken over my life, and he doesn't even know it. I think about what he could be doing, whether he's sitting on his Throne, or battling in a war. Whether he's found someone else there. Whether he now has an heir to his throne. I wonder what his lists of achievements are for these past three years. Maybe he's conquered another country, and spread the peace through the countries surrounding Narnia. I often wonder if he remembers me, and those precious moments we spent together. I certainly remember every one of them.

The past three years have gone slowly, yet so fast. I can only recall a few things that have happened. The most prominent being what happened between Peter and I about two months after we returned to England...

_Peter and I had just returned from taking a pleasant walk around our neighbourhood. We lived in a very friendly part of outer London, and it was very safe to walk in the evening. We had talked about many things that crossed our minds, and the conversation had flowed for at least two hours. We had sat in the park for a while, laughing and joking about with each other. I had really enjoyed myself._

_We'd just gotten back to the house, and we entered slowly, aware that most of our family would be in their beds sleeping by now. We both walked lightly into the living room, after removing our coats and shoes and leaving them tidily in the hallway. I then turned around to see Peter standing in front of me. Neither of us said anything, just looked into each others' eyes. I'd had this feeling before._

_I then did something irrational and unexpected. I closed the distance between us and kissed him, right on the lips. He kissed me back instantly. But as soon as the kiss started, I knew it was wrong._

_I pulled back, and made sure to take a step back too. "I'm sorry." I said, feeling stupid and embarrassed. "We shouldn't be doing this."_

"_Why not? I thought you had feelings for me." Peter looked hurt, and I then couldn't look away from his face. That was when I realized that all this time, he had liked me back. Why did I have to go and do that? I fell in love with Caspian, and with which my feelings for Peter had gone. Now I had just stirred things up._

"_I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." I said, meaning every word. Peter looked down, and I could feel how hurt he was. I went over to him and made him look at me. "You're right. I did have feelings for you. I'm not going to deny it because you deserve the truth." I looked into his eyes. "I did have feelings, and they were strong. But, when we came to Narnia, things changed. You saw the bond between me and Caspian. And that is still there. I still love him. And I know that it sounds ridiculous because he's not even her-" Peter put his finger on my lips, forcing me to stop talking._

"_It's not ridiculous. It's perfectly understandable. If that bond between you and Caspian is still there, as much as it pains me to say it, then you should preserve it. A bond like that is hard to break, and I don't want to be the cause of that."_

After that, mine and Peter's bond had become stronger than ever. We had turned from brother and sister to best friends. Nothing was awkward, and nothing had gotten worse with us. The only thing that had gotten worse from that moment on was me. I found myself missing Caspian more than ever, and that was when my nightmares started. Almost every night, I would get woken up by a nightmare, one's that I don't dare to tell you about because they were horrific.

Thankfully, the nightmares stopped after a few weeks, and dreams replaced them. Some happy, some sad, but none the extreme either end. That I was thankful for; I didn't want to continue having the nightmares, and I didn't want to have amazingly wonderful dreams, because they would be my brand of nightmare because I couldn't have what the dreams were expressing.

A year later after we had returned from Narnia, I had joined the school choir. Nothing religious. We were just a group of people who met twice a week to sing any songs that we desired. Some of which had a message in them, and the others were just peoples' favourites. I found myself feeling better about Caspian and Narnia when I found my singing voice. I always used to sing in my room and in the shower, but I never thought myself any good. But, I was unconsciously singing rather loudly in the garden one afternoon, and my siblings and Heather had heard me. They were the ones that convinced me to join some sort of singing community, as I would have never done it on my own. I'm not good at talking in front of crowds, let alone sing in front of a crowd. But, I knew that my siblings wouldn't lie to me when they said I was good, and so I have found myself singing big and powerful songs. It helps with the pain. And the pain hasn't gotten any worse since, but it hasn't gotten any better either. It's just being controlled at the moment.

I had been continuing to practise my Martial Arts, and I had acquired many more skills along the way. I was starting to compete in friendly competitions, and I think the practise against real people had helped a lot because I found myself winning near enough every time. Even against the highest skilled competitors. But I really did miss fighting with my swords. I wondered if Caspian had found them where I laid them out on my bed. I wanted him to find them and have something to remember me by, whereas I had to survive with nothing.

We, as a family, had gone on holiday to Scotland, and it really did cheer me up. I felt distracted because of all the beautiful sights of Scotland. And also, Michael had returned from the war, so that was a really happy time for the family. He had decided to treat us all to a holiday away from everything that was going on in London and across Europe. We had spent the better part of three weeks up in Scotland, and we had climbed various mountains and had travelled over most of the land on the train. We all loved train journeys. They were just so relaxing, and as the Army was paying for our accommodation and travel, we had got first class, and so the space was brilliant and the seats were so comfortable. It was the best family holiday we all could have asked for.

Right now, it was the middle of august, and Edmund, Lucy, and I had been living at our cousins house, the Scrubbs', for about eight and a half months now. Peter was off living with Professor Digory Kirke, studying hard for University. Professor Kirke would have boarded Edmund, Lucy and I also, but he had gotten poor over the years and had to move out of his mansion to a small cottage, with only one spare bedroom. Susan was also away. She was in America with Helen and Michael. I was going to go with them, but I don't know what I want to do with my life, and so I suggested that the best option for me would be to stay here until I figure out what I do want to do. And the other reason was that if I was going back to Narnia, then I would be going with Edmund and Lucy, and so I wanted to stay with them.

Edmund hated living here. Well, so did Lucy and I, but we were good at hiding our feelings about it. Edmund on the other hand had to share a bedroom with our annoying brat of a cousin called Eustace, and they despised each other. Lucy and I shared a room, and so we were okay with the sleeping arrangements. We really didn't like Eustace, but he mainly picked on Edmund so we weren't as annoyed with Eustace as Edmund was. Edmund's just about ready to kill Eustace any day now.

I was sitting in the park near the Scrubbs' house. It was a pleasant little park, with scattered trees and a small pond filled with fish. It must be nearing nine o'clock at night, and so it was probably a good idea to return back to the house soon. Uncle Harold and Aunt Alberta wouldn't really mind, but Eustace would make a huge fuss that if I'm allowed out late, then why shouldn't he, even though I was nineteen and he was a mere thirteen year old. He tried to act much older than his years by boasting about all the books that he read and the facts that he read about, but it doesn't work on Edmund, Lucy, and I. We were too clever for that. Lucy was fourteen now, and Edmund was seventeen. They had both grown up very much over the past three years, and I found myself more able to talk to Lucy about things that I would usually talk to Susan about. But, I hadn't seen Susan in so long. We wrote to each other, but it just wasn't the same.

Just as I was sitting on the park bench, looking around at the stars shining in the sky, I heard footsteps from my right. I looked over to see Lucy walking down the road, heading towards the gate leading into the park. She had noticed me sitting on the bench, and was probably wondering what I was doing out so late. I usually sat by my window in mine and Lucy's room to watch the stars, but tonight had felt different, and so I decided to get a little fresh air too.

Lucy approached me and sat down on the bench next to me. I could see from the corner of my eye that she was also looking up at the stars.

"They really are beautiful, don't you think?" She asked, and her voice was soft in the evening air.

"They are. One of the rare things that makes a person peaceful in my opinion." We sat in silence for a few minutes. "They're the only things that I can use to feel as though I'm linking with Caspian."

I didn't talk to the others about Caspian, and they knew not to ask about him. It was too painful for me to try to talk about him. But tonight was different. The air felt different from the last three years. Strange, but true.

Lucy then looked at me, the slightest curve of a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. Sympathy was written on her face. Lucy reached over and took my hand lightly.

"You'll see him again. I know you will." She said, but I thought otherwise.

I looked at her, disbelief covering my face. "It's been three years. Thirteen hundred years went past there when that one year passed here. Nearly four thousand years could have passed in Narnia by now, and then I'll never see Caspian again."

Those words caused me great grief in my head and chest, a single tear running down my cheek. Lucy wrapped her arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. "You just have to have faith in these things. If you believe it enough, it will happen. I promise you."

Lucy had a way of making me feel a lot better. But that didn't stop me from crying. "I think it's the frustration of not knowing and not being able to get there whenever I want.I just can't believe the effect that he's had on me. And for three years."

Lucy rubbed my back and I held onto her. "i think you only have to wait a little longer to find out. You'll see."

Neither of us carried on the conversation. We just sat outside for a little while longer, Lucy comforting me and I tried to calm down. I had gotten pretty used to moments like this so I knew what to do to make them pass quickly. When I had calmed down and wiped the tears off my cheeks, we walked to the house. I felt better that evening, as Eustace stayed in his room while Lucy, Edmund, and I prepared a late dinner for the family.

* * *

_Hey guys! I do apologize for this chapter being a little bit shorter than what the other ones were, but I promise that the next chapter will be a long chapter! This one was very important in the narrative so it had to be there. And i also apologize for the chapter being quite depressing. But, again, it was necessary. Hope you guys enjoyed it though! And don't forget to review please :D I really want to know what all of you think :D_


	13. Chapter 13

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Thirteen~*~A Surprise Return~***

The next few days passed in a blur. Nothing much happened; Lucy went out every other day to get what groceries she could. I usually went with her, but I had been feeling rather ill, so I was ordered to stay in bed by Aunt Alberta. It was only a cold, but a severe one. Thankfully, Eustace didn't come anywhere near me for those few days. That was only of the good things about being ill. I did feel awful though as Lucy had to get the groceries by herself. She insisted that it was perfectly fine.

During those days, I was in bed almost all day. I would sometimes go over to the window and breathe in some fresh air whilst getting lost in my thoughts. I did enjoy the peace and quiet, and I found that it was perfect conditions to read. I had grown very fond of a particular book, and that was Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. It was beautifully written, and such a fantastic story. I couldn't put the book down and so I finished it very quickly.

Today though, I was feeling much better and so I decided to make up for my absense in helping with the groceries. I went with Lucy to the market and we gathered as much food as we needed. Although there were still no carrots. So, we had to settle for turnips, again. Edmund had walked with us, but then he had turned to go into City Hall, which Lucy and I thought was very strange, but we dismissed it. Lucy and I arranged to meet back at the house as I had to go run some errands. I first went to the post office to send off two letters to Susan and Peter. I then went to collect some photographs that I had sent to a shop to get developed. I had the photo frames ready in the bag. I had been meaning to get them developed for a while, but completely forgot about it until a few days ago.

I walked out of the shop with my new photos. I looked through them and found myself smiling as I sat down on a bench in a small park. I had purchased ten pictures overall. There were three of us five siblings together, two of Susan, Lucy and I, two of Peter and I, one with me and the boys, and a couple more of us. I loved the one of me, Peter, and Susan especially. The photo made me think of them deeply, and how much I missed them. I hope to be reunited with them soon.

I put all my new photos into their new frames and put them into my bag, then I slung my back over my shoulder and made my way back to the Scrubbs'. Once back at the house, I only found Uncle Harold sitting with his feet up reading the newspaper. I decided not to disturb him. I made my way upstairs, and once I was at the top, I heard,

"Please let me hit him!" came Edmund's angry voice.

"No!" replied Lucy.

"Don't you ever knock?" Edmund said.

"It's my house. I'll do as I please. You're just guests." Eustace was in there stirring up trouble, as usual. "What's so fascinating about that picture anyway? It's hideous."

"You won't see it from the other side of the door." Edmund was getting really angry.

I then went into mine and Lucy's room to see what was going on. Lucy didn't look impressed with their arguing.

"Hey guys." I said, going in and pushing the door closed.

"Hi." Edmund and Lucy both greeted me, turning round to smile at me. I returned the smile lightly, and saw that they had been looking at the only picture in the room. It was of a ship, one that looked very Narnian like. When we had first arrived here, Lucy said that we could take it down if it upset me, but I told her to leave it; It made me remember that my journey to Narnia had actually happened.

I walked over to look at the painting with Lucy and Edmund.

"It looks like the water's actually moving." Lucy said softly, admiring the waves.

"What rubbish!" Eustace protested. "See, that's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairytales of yours!" I really did just want to turn around and tell him to shut up at that moment.

"There once was a boy called Eustace, who read books about facts that were useless." Lucy and I grinned at Edmund's little rhyme, enjoying his humour as we stood in front of the painting still.

"People who read fairytales are always the sort who become a hideous burden to people like me, who read books of real information."

Oh dear...here we go. Edmund's face was fuming, and he turned round. Lucy and I looked at each other and we both knew that this would explode into a full blown argument.

"'A hideous burden'? I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here." Edmund walked forwards forcing Eustace to take a few steps backwards towards the door. As Lucy and I were watching Edmund and Eustace having their argument, ready to intervene if we had to, we felt a fast gush of wind. I didn't think anything of it; maybe the window was open or something.

Eustace then tried to leave but Edmund slapped the door shut. "I have a right mind to tell Harold that it was you who stole all of aunt Alberta's sweets."

"Liar!" Eustace shouted.

"Oh really?"

Lucy and I then got splashed with water, and we spun around to see that water was pouring out of the painting. "Edmund, the painting!" Lucy said, with her eyes cast on the spraying water. At that moment, I couldn't help but feel my heart take a great leap. Could it be possible...?

Edmund wasn't listening to us. "I found them under your bed. And you know what? I licked every one of them."

"Eugh!" Eustace was disgusted. "I'm infected with you!"

The Narnian ship was moving along the waves now, and more water was gushing out of the painting. Suddenly, a huge wave sprayed out at us and we both gasped, jumping back a step on instinct. My heart was beating faster than usual, but it was more of an excited and scared response to the surreal situation.

Eustace and Edmund had then felt the water, and the shock on Eustace's face was laughable. Lucy and I were grinning, and then Edmund started grinning, coming onto the same page as us and getting excited.

"What's going on here?" Eustace asked us.

"Lucy, Alex, d'you think..." Edmund trailed off, but both Lucy and I knew what he was getting at. And he didn't need an answer to know that we were all thinking the same thing. Eustace on the other hand wasn't impressed at all.

"This is some kind of trick. Stop it or I'll tell mother! Mother! Mother!" Eustace had backed away towards the door, while Lucy, Edmund and I were still by the painting, all grinning as the water gushed out of the painting at an even higher speed. It was absolutely soaking us by now. I couldn't feel one head of my body that was dry. I also hadn't smiled this much since I was last in Narnia. I was starting to feel my old self break through the surface.

"I'll just smash the rotten thing!" Eustace shouted, running through us and grabbing the painting off of the wall. We all exploded.

"NO!" We all yelled, and we were all struggling with the painting, yelling at Eustace to let go, but he never did. This was my only chance to possible see Caspian again and I wasn't going to let some thirteen year boy destroy my chance.

Due to all the struggling, Eustace ended up dropping the painting onto the floor, and the water exploded out of the painting like a fountain. The room was filling up with water, fast. We all backed away from the painting, but we soon lost our footing and fell shoulder deep into the water. It was absolutely freezing, and I felt like I was in the ocean. The force of the water was incredibly strong, and so I tried to grab onto the bed rail. The water had knocked my hand away and I was being swept underneath the water. Just as I reached the surface to gulp down some more air, the water then reached the ceiling, which caused me to panic. We were trapped underwater. I swam over to Lucy, but as I did, I noticed that we were no longer in a room full of wet furniture. We were in a wide open space of water. Massive amounts of light were causing rays through the water, and so our best bet was to swim upwards.

I made a huge gasp for air once we finally reached the surface. I coughed up some water and tried to steady my breathing. I was panicking a little, even though I knew that we were in Narnia. To be honest, it hadn't really hit me where we were. I was too busy worrying about the safety of my family.

"Alex! Edmund!" Lucy called, and I turned around to find that Lucy and Eustace were a few strokes away from Edmund and I. We quickly swam over to them.  
"Are you alright, Lucy?" I asked, making sure she was treading water with ease. She nodded and breathed heavily, trying to get her breath back.

A huge shadow was then cast over us, and we all turned to look behind us. What we saw was the ship that was in the painting. Panic instantly too over my body again. Being the oldest, I had a responsibility of protecting my family. I pushed on Lucy's back, urging her to swim away.

"Go!" I shouted, as I started swimming behind them.

"Eustace, swim!" Lucy shouted to Eustace. We were all swimming as fast as we could to get away from the ship. Who knows who was on there.

Just as I looked behind to see how close the ship was, I saw three people dive into the water.

"Crap!" I said to myself, and ushered the others to swim faster. The possibility of what could be swimming beneath us didn't even occur to me at this point; I just wanted to get away from that ship. I heard people swimming behind me, and I briefly looked back to see that they were skilled in their swimming, and they were approaching us first. I felt weak and helpless as I knew that they would catch up to us, but that didn't stop me from trying to keep swimming away.

I then felt an arm go around my waist. "It's alright. I've got you." I stopped swimming as I had immediately recognized the voice. My heart felt as though it had just completely stopped at the moment, matching my breathing. I then turned around. I found the face of the man I had been waiting to see for the past three years starring back at me. He already had a grin on his face as he pulled me closer to his body and kept us above the surface with his free hand.

"Oh my God. Caspian." It came out as a whisper. I was just too much in shock to manage a louder decibel.

"Alex." He replied back, but his voice was a perfect decibel. It was just perfect anyway. His voice started my heart again, but this time, it went from one extreme to the other; it was beating at ten times the rate it should. I felt my eyes fill up with tears as I looked into his eyes. They were exactly as I remember them; the soft dark brown pair that had looked into my green ones numerous times. I grinned as I wrapped one of my arms around his shoulders to keep myself balanced.

"Lucy, Edmund, it's Caspian!" I called back to the others, but I couldn't turn myself away from his face.

"Come on. Better get you out of the cold." He said to me, and moved his hand onto my lower back and we swam towards the ship. The other crew members had reached Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace and they were swimming behind Caspian and I. I could heard Eustace making a huge fuss about not wanting to be here, but I was having the opposite feeling. I never wanted to leave here again.

Caspian helped Lucy and I onto the plank of wood that was attached to two thick ropes. We stood side by side and I held her around the waist so that she wouldn't slip off. We were then lifted up by two crew members so that we were level with the dock of the ship. They offered us their hands to help us set foot onto the dock safely. I was shivering by now, but it wasn't because of the cold. I think I was so happy and excited to be here, and with Caspian, that my muscles were getting the best of me. As the two crew members lowered the plank of wood again, Lucy and I were covered over with blankets. She noticed how badly I was shivering.

"Alex, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

I nodded, grinning like a fool. "It's...It's...Caspian. He's here...I'm here...I...Oh my God...I can't talk...I just..." Lucy broke out into a grin, and hugged me, and I squeezed her maybe a little too tightly. I was so happy that I could probably fly if I tried.

Caspian and Edmund then came onto the dock, and I couldn't take my eyes off of Caspian. Just as he and Edmund were handed blankets, I abandoned mine, ran down the dock, and flung my arms round Caspian's neck. I couldn't help myself. I just had to be in his arms again. He had dropped his blanket and immediately returned my hug, lifting my feet off the ground and burying his face into my neck. If he wasn't a King and was surrounded by friends rather than his crew, I'd imagine there would be some wolf whistles right about now.

"I can't believe you're here." I heard him mumble into my hair. "I never thought I would see you again."

I laughed lightly with happiness. "Me too. I thought too many years would have passed here." We broke apart and he set me back on my feet. I then noticed that Lucy and Edmund had been approaching us slowing, both looking really happy also.

"How in the world did you end up here?" Caspian asked us all. He still kept one hand on my waist and I had one hand on his chest.

"I have no idea. Didn't you call for us?" Lucy asked him.  
"No. Not this time." He answered.

"Whatever the case, I think I can speak for us all when I say we're glad to be here." Edmund told him, and we all smiled. I looked up at Caspian. It was the same person that I knew three years ago, except older. And he had also grown a beard. I wasn't usually one to like facial hair, but on Caspian, it made him look much more handsome and manly. He wasn't a boy anymore. He was a man.

I then noticed that Caspian had wrapped his abandoned blanket around me, but I had been too busy starring at him to notice.

"Ahhh!" We then heard, and we looked down the docks to see that Eustace was on the floor, and there was a mouse on him. I raised my eyebrows. "Get the thing off me!" The crew had backed off, and some were laughing. "Get the thing off me!" Eustace managed to flung the mouse off of him, and the mouse rolled towards us, and then found his footing. I immediately recognised the mouse and smiled.

"Reepicheep!" Lucy said delightfully.

Reepicheep turned towards us and bowed. "Your Majesties."

"Hello Reep. What a pleasure." Edmund said.

"The pleasure is all mine, Sir. But first, what to do about this...this hysterical interloper?" Reepicheep looked back at Eustace, and our gazes followed. Eustace was on his knees coughing. He then turned and pointed at Reep. Eustace's face was bright red.

"That giant rat thing just tried to claw my face off!" I rolled my eyes. Idiot.

"I was merely trying to ex spell the water from your lungs, Sir." The look on Eustace's face when Reepicheep talked back was hilarious. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing, but people could see that I was still grinning.

"It talked! Did you-Did anyone hear that? He—He-It just talked!"

"Point out the obvious why don't you." I mumbled, and Lucy grinned at me having heard what I said.

"He always talks." said one of the crew members.

"Actually it's getting him to shut up that's the trick." Caspian said, and the crew laughed lightly, including Lucy, Edmund, and I.

Reep turned to look up at Caspian. "The moment there is nothing to be said, Your Highness, I promise you I will not say it." Caspian smiled.

Eustace was still fuming. "I dunno what kind of prank this is! But I wanna wake up, right now!"

"Perhaps we could throw him back." Reepicheep said, and looked up at me, Edmund, and Lucy. I looked at Edmund and he was seriously considering it, at which I laughed and Lucy elbowed him, telling him off, and looking appalled. I looked back at Eustace and he was storming over to a new gang of crew members, on the starboard side of the ship.

"I demand to know just where in the blazes am I!" He yelled at the three crew members.  
"You're on the Dawn Treader. The finest ship in Narnia's Navy." One of the Minotaur's said to Eustace. He had quite an impact on Eustace because Eustace ended up fainting. Most of the crew members laughed, Edmund joining in. Caspian then walked over to the Minotaur and Eutace.

"Was it something I said?" The Minotaur asked Caspian.

"See to him, will you?" Caspian asked.

The Minotaur bowed. "Your Majesty."

Caspian made his way back over to us, but walked past us and stood on the stairs. "Men. Behold our castaways. Edmund the Just, Lucy the Valiant, High King and Queen of Narnia. And Miss Alexandra the Dexterous, one of the finest warriors Narnia has ever known." All the crew members then bowed to us, and it felt strange being in this position again. In the high position of power I mean. And this time, it didn't just feel as though they were only bowing in Lucy and Edmund. They were bowing to all of us. I couldn't help but smile. I turned my head to smile up at Caspian, who had been looking at me with a matching smile, and saw the warm and happiness reflect in his eyes.

I was finally home.


	14. Chapter 14

_Heya! I realize that the last few parts I have published have been quite short, and so I have made this part super long for you all! Hope you all enjoy! And thank you to those who have reviewed and faved my story! It's makes me feel as though I've actually accomplished something with my writing :) Anyways, hope you all enjoy the super long part! Please review :D_

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Fourteen~*~Aboard the Dawn Treader~***

The crew had gotten back to work after our surprise drop in. We were just standing around talking to Reepicheep and Caspian, when Lucy sneezed.

"How awful of me! Sorry, come, let's get you guys into some dry clothes." He showed us down the stairs to the under deck. Caspian led us down a narrow corridor, and we entered a very fashionable door on our right. I was really conscious that we were dripping water all over Caspian's amazing ship, and I suddenly felt really guilty. Something strange to be thinking about at a time like this, I know. While I was trying to stop my clothes from dripping with water, I then noticed that my bag was still strapped to my bag. The bag part was right in the middle of my back and I often forget that it's there. I do hope that everything in my bag isn't damaged...

We entered the cabin, and it was a very beautiful cabin indeed. It was equipped with a wardrobe, chest of drawers, a table with two chairs, a full length mirror, a beautiful red and gold chaise, and a double bed. There was also windows covering the whole of the opposite wall, and you could see the magnificent blue sea outside, as well as the sun rays shining through. The room screamed the words 'King' and 'rich', but the room was done in such a way that it didn't flaunt and brag about the quality of it's furniture and belongings.

Caspian immediately went over to the chest of drawers and started pulling out some shirts and trousers. "I apologize to you Alex and Lucy, but we only have men's clothes to spare. We don't have any women on board to lend you their clothes so you'll have to make do with some of mine. I hope you don't mind." Caspian told us, handing Lucy and I some of his clothes, and then returning to the drawers to get some out for him and Edmund.

"No, we don't mind. Thank you for them." Lucy said, making sure to hold the clothes away from her body as not to cause them to get dripped on.

"Not at all." Caspian replied, smiling over at us, and my heart leapt even more. I inwardly cursed at myself for being this affected by someone who I hadn't spoken or seen in three years. But, the heart does strange things when it comes to affection. "You girls can stay in my cabin while you're here, while Edmund and I will sleep downstairs with the rest of the crew."

"We can sleep downstairs if you like." I added in. "After all, this is your space."

"No, no!" He replied instantly. "I don't want you two to be down there with the crew. I'd be much happier if you stayed in my cabin."

He was really sweet and caring. Honestly, could he be any more perfect?

"Well, thank you, Caspian. That's very kind of you. To give up your own space." I smiled at him and he flashed me a grin, and which my heart, again, leapt.

I had been wanting to ask something since we got here, and decided that now is a good time to ask it. "Umm. I was wondering..." Caspian motioned for me to go on. "How many years have passed here since we left?" I was worried that it was more years than I thought. He could be quite a few years older than me now that he once was.

"Three years."

I was shocked and I looked at him in disbelief. "Just three?"

He nodded. "Why? How many have gone by in your world?"

"Three also." I answered. "That's really strange. Thirteen hundred years went by the first time. Three the next. Just a bit of a difference then." I laughed lightly and the others grinned. I looked at Caspian with a smile, and I was really happy to know that Caspian and I still had to the same two year age gap that we had before.

Caspian had given Lucy and I a pair of boots each to wear also, and thankfully I had size seven feet, and so there were some in my size that Caspian fetched from the clean rack of boots. Lucy on the other hand had quite small feet, and so she had to make do with the smallest size Caspian could find. He and Edmund then left us while we got changed. It took us ages to peal our other clothes off because of how wet they were. It was exceptionally hard to get my stockings off; they had only gone onto market in the recent years, and I had found a pair that went up to mid thigh, and so I was able to wear them with some shorts. It was more acceptable now for women to show off their legs in public, and I was one of these women because in the summer, I don't want to be walking around wearing long and thick skirts. And so, I wore high stockings and shorts in the summer.

We changed into Caspian's clothes, and I couldn't help myself but smell his shirt as I put it on. It smelt heavily of him, and it brought a sigh and smile to my lips. We tucked the shirts into our trousers, and I really liked the outfit. It wasn't everyday that you could walk around in men's clothes and actually pull it off. And if I do say so myself, Lucy and I pulled the outfits off very well.

I had taken my bag off and took out it's contents onto the floor.

"Is everything okay in there?" Lucy asked, coming to kneel next to me as I was making sure nothing had been damaged. "Oh wow." Lucy picked up one of the picture frames, one with all five of us in the picture. "Is this what you went to do in town?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I remember we took some pictures before Susan and Peter had to leave. I only remembered a couple of days ago to get them developed. When they were taken, I think that was one of the only times where I actually felt happy. It's kind of sad really, that these last years were so miserable."

"You're happy now. Anyone can see that. Especially Edmund and I. And from the way Caspian is looking at you, I know that he is over the moon that you're here."

I looked at her. "You really think so?"

She nodded. "Definitely."

We both smiled, and we sat on the floor for a few more minutes, just looking through at all the pictures. Thankfully, none of them were damaged, but they were all wet. I didn't want the wetness to destroy them. I got up, still with one of the pictures in my hand, and went out into the corridor, seeing that Caspian and Edmund were waiting for us, both dressed in dry clothes. Caspian looked very King-like in what he was wearing. I liked it, a lot. I got back on subject, but before I could say anything, Edmund spoke first.

"Wow. That outfit suits you. I thought you'd look manly, but you don't at all."

I laughed with him. "Thanks." I said. I saw that Caspian had been looking at the outfit and I found myself blushing a little.

"You look beautiful." Okay I just blushed a little harder. He had a smile on his face.

"Thank you." I smiled back and then quickly moved on because Edmund was making fun of me because I had blushed and such. I hate brothers sometimes. "Um, do you have somewhere where I can dry these off because I don't want them to get ruined. They were in my bag that I didn't take off when I was in England." Caspian took the frame off me and looked at the photo. It was the one with Susan and I.

"I'm sure we can find somewhere." Caspian smiled and walked into the room. He took them all in his hands and set them securely on the window ledge, so that they were in the way of the sun rays. As he did this, I saw him take a moment to look at each one individually and smile to himself.

Caspian then led us into the room next door. It was still Caspian's cabin because it matched the colours in his chamber. However in this one, there were cabinets around the room, a huge window on the opposite side of the room, much like the one in the other room, with a window seat, and a desk in the middle equipped with a chair, scrolls, and inks. On the left wall, there was a prominent gold carving of a Lion's head.

"Aslan." Lucy said satisfyingly, smiling at the carving and then over at us. Caspian was standing to one side, watching us all look round the cabin. I was interested in the books that were stacked neatly on various shelves, and the paintings on the walls that completed the room. "Look, Susan's bow and arrows." Lucy announced, and Edmund and I looked over, and saw that Susan's weapons were situated on top of a small cabinet to the left of the room.

"Lucy." Caspian said, and then pulled out her gifts from another, taller, cabinet across the room. Lucy grinned.

"My healing Cordial, and dagger! Oh, my I?"

"Of course. They're yours." Caspian hands then to Lucy with a smile. She was then busy attaching them around her waist.

"Peter's sword." Edmund said, looking over at the wall near to where I was standing. Caspian walked over to it.

"Yes. Looked after as promised." He picked it up and held it out for Edmund. "Here, hold it if you wish."

"No, no, it's yours. Peter gave it to you."

Caspian then went back over to the same cabinet of which he took Lucy's gifts from. "I did save this for you though." He pulled out Edmund's torch and grinned, as did I, humorously. He then tossed it to Edmund, at which he caught.

"Thanks." Edmund said, checking to make sure it still worked.

"Alex." Caspian said, and I looked from Edmund to him. He motioned for me to go over to him and I did, standing rather close to him. Our bodies were facing each other, and it reminded me of the time when I had to say goodbye to him. We were stood by another cabinet, and he then took out my bow and arrows. I smiled and he handed them out to me.

Caspian looked down at me and spoke in a softer and quieter voice, so that the conversation was just between us, but I'm sure Lucy and Edmund could also hear. "I noticed that you had laid them out on your bed the day you left." I nodded and took them off of him gently.

"Thank you for keeping them safe." I said, talking in the same hushed tones as he did. He didn't make any other move to dig into the cabinet, and so I then thought that my swords weren't on board, and I did get a little upset. I looked down at my bow, and it was just how I remembered it. Purple, black, and white. I smiled at it a little, trying to be satisfied with just it.

"You swords..." Caspian then pointed towards the other side of the cabin. I looked over and saw that my swords were on the wall, crossed over each other. My jaw dropped slightly. There was great meaning in having them put on the wall in those positions. And the fact that he had chosen to display mine on the wall, in his cabin, made me feel some special inside.

"Why are they up there?" I looked at him, and found that we were standing very close to each other. Our closeness felt very intimate as he looked down at me so our faces weren't that far apart.

"I wanted them on show. I wanted to be able to see them everyday. They gave me an excuse to tell people about you when they asked who's they were."

I couldn't help but smile. He had been thinking of me all these years. I was so scared that he would have moved on and found someone else, but from what he was saying and the way he was saying them, it looks like he hasn't.

"That really means a lot, Caspian." He touched my arm briefly and then went over to the swords.

"But, I think it's time they returned to their master." He took them off the wall while I placed my bow and arrows on his desk. He handed me my swords, and the moment I touched them, I felt a deep magic, as though some of the magic in Narnia were within these weapons. The power I felt when I held them by their hilts made me feel powerful. I started to feel how I felt when I was fighting in the Battle of Beruna all those years ago. Caspian returned to me with my sheath belt, I sheathed both my swords, and then attached my belt to my waist. With them back in their rightful positions, I felt complete again.

"Since you left, the giants of the north have surrendered unconditionally. And we defeated the Calormen armies of the Great Desert. There's peace across all of Narnia." Caspian told us, as we all gathered over a map of Narnia and the Eastern sea that he had spread over his desk.

"Peace?" Edmund asked.

"In just three years." Caspian replied, standing back up to his full height. I think he's grown a little. That, or I've shrunk...

"And have you found yourself a Queen in those three years?" Lucy asked, glancing at me quickly. I looked at Caspian, my insides fearing for the worst. But Caspian looked at me and smiled.

"No yet."

I made a very obvious sigh of relief, at which they all looked at me, and so I then started coughing to cover it. Lucy rubbed my back to help me cough, not that I needed it. I felt my face get hot. That was embarrassing, even though both Lucy and Edmund knew that I liked him, and I'm pretty sure that Caspian does too.

Drinian then came in and it took the attention off me. Thank goodness for that.

"Hang on. So if there's no wars to fight, and no ones in trouble, then why are we here?" Edmund asked, leaning on the table and looking down at the map.

"That's a good question." Caspian replied. "I've been asking myself the same thing."

"So, how long have you been on this voyage so far?" I asked.

"We made sail from Cair Paravel and headed north to Galma, at which we arrived at the next day. We stayed there for a week as the Duke of Galma had organized a great Tournament-"

Drinian cut across him. "At which His Majesty defeated all the knights that challenged him." I smiled at him and turned to Caspian, who was smiling a little embarrassedly.

"Anyway. We then arrived at Terebinthia four days later die to strong winds pushing against us. We stayed there for three days, and then further travelled for eight days and reached the Isle of Brenn. We left Brenn six days ago. So, we've been on our voyage for just over a month now. And we still have many miles to travel."

"Wow. Sounds like you've travelled everywhere!" I commented, and Caspian laughed lightly. I then looked down at the map closely. "Where're we sailing to?"

"Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters." We all turned to see seven portraits of men all printed onto scrolls and pinned to the wall. "The Seven Lords of Telmar. They fled to the Lone Islands." He then turned back round to point at the Lone Islands on the map, but I knew that Lucy and Edmund have have known where they were as they had ruled here for fifteen years. "No ones heard from them since."

Edmund walked over to the wall and looked at the portraits closely. "So you think something's happened to them?" Caspian turned and leaned back against the table, crossing his arms.

"Well, if it has, it's my duty to find out." I could tell he looked a little bit angry, and I knew that it was pointed at Miraz. I put my hand on his lower arm, trying to maybe calm him down a little. I didn't want his getting all frustrated. He managed a smile and put his hand on mine, running his thumb over my knuckles. His thumb felt so soft, and his movements were loving, making me smile down at our hands.

"Well, what's east of the Lone Islands?" Lucy asked, and Caspian and I turned round to face her, but we didn't move our hands. Standing next to him, he really did seem taller. It made me feel safe and secure, knowing that he could protect me from anything, and I knew that if that if danger came, he would protect me.

"Uncharted waters." Drinian finally spoke. "Things you could barely imagine. Tales of Sea Serpents, and worse." Lucy and I looked at each other, and we had the same expression; a little bit of fear in our eyes. Edmund, however, found it humorous.

"Sea serpents?" He asked, with an expression that basically mean that he didn't believe what Drinian was saying and that he found it funny.

"Alright, Captain, that's enough of your tall tales." Caspian said with a grin. Lucy and I then smiled, trying to forget about the possibility of sea serpents. "Oh, that reminds me." Caspian said, and moved to the other side of the room, and so my hand was no longer in the comfort of his, and I lost my smile because of it. As I watched him rummage through the books, I couldn't help but look at him even more. It was the first time that I had really studied his body. He had broad shoulders and an athletic build, but he was also tall. He wasn't stocky. He had gorgeous hands (I have a thing for hands); he had long fingers, but they were also strong. His legs were long, and toned. I had a very satisfied smile on my face, and I found myself tilting my head slightly to get a better view of his butt. He then turned round and I moved so quickly so that Caspian didn't see what I was doing that I cracked my neck.

"Ow, ow." I said, and grabbed onto the side of my neck with my hand.

"What happened?" Edmund asked, and everyone was looking at me.

"Oh, umm...just you know...moved too fast or something."

Edmund nodded and then he and Drinian turned back to Caspian, who then returned to flicking through the pages of the book in his hand. Lucy, however, was still looking at me, and I feared that I was looking rather suspicious. She then looked at Caspian and back at me. She pointed to Caspian with her thumb, and then mouthed to me,

"Were you checking him out?"

I had a _very _guilty look on my face. "...Yeah..." I mouthed back. Her jaw dropped slightly, but in a way that she was still grinning. "...What?" I mouthed back, as though it wasn't a big deal.

"What are you guys doing?" Edmund suddenly asked, making Lucy and I snap our heads towards him. Ow...

"Umm, nothing." Lucy said. Edmund just looked at us suspiciously. Thank goodness he couldn't lip read!

"So, what're you looking for, Caspian?" I asked in a loud voice, hoping Edmund would drop it.

"Well, the other day, I was looking through this book, and I found...bare with me...aha! This!" We gathered round the book, but he made sure that I was next to him when he showed me what was on the page. My jaw dropped and grasped the book in my hands, but I didn't pull it out of Caspian's because that would be really rude.

It was me. I was printed on the page. Someone had painted a brilliant portrait of me, and then as I skim-read the page, it was all about who I was and who I was associated with. There were pictures of my weapons, and they were talked about too. I was actually gob-smacked. I can't believe that I was published in a book. It just one of those things that you can't describe.

"It's me!" I was grinning while I was reading the pages. "Why am I in here? What's the book called?"

Caspian looked at the spine. "The Most Well-known Warriors of Narnia." I looked up at him with my mouth hanging open. I really didn't care about how unattractive I must have looked; I was that happy and blown away.

"Are you serious?" I had to check the title just to be sure.

"Aslan titled you as such." I looked up at him and he seemed just about as happy for me as I looked happy.

I was sitting out on deck, on one of the barrels that were situated at the edge of the deck so that the crew could more around easily. I was sitting with one leg over the other, and had the heel of my foot resting on one of the rings on the barrel. I had asked Caspian if I could borrow the book that I was in, to read through it to learn about other warriors.

As I was turning the pages, I landed on one that had a portrait of Caspian. I couldn't help but smile and run my fingers gently over his picture. I think I've fallen hard. Already.

"Alex." I quickly shut the book as Lucy took a seat next to me. Even though I knew that she knew that I liked Caspian, a lot, but I didn't really want to officially confirm it. I might seem a little fast to people because I've literately been in his company for only over an hour. "What've you been doing?"

"Oh, just looking through this book. All you guys are in here too, both as your age now, and when you're like in your twenties when you were first here."

I showed her the pages, and then Edmund and Caspian came out of the lower deck, both with their swords drawn. I nudged Lucy lightly. "Lucy, look."

She looked at Edmund and Caspian, ready to see what they're going to do.

"A duel!" Reepicheep announced, as he landed on the barrel on the other side of me. "It is a great honour to see such a duel between two Kings."

Lucy and I turned back to Caspian and Edmund, and they were circling each other, both grinning and looking forward to the duel. The crew had been allowed a little break to watch the two Kings fight.

It was a lot of fun to watch their duel. They were both really skilled in their tactics and sword handling, and I noticed that they had both gotten better. Especially Caspian because he's had three years of practise, whereas Edmund hasn't had the opportunity to practise. Lucy and I were grinning and laughing as the boys fought around the length of the dock. They were ducking each other's sword swings and clanging their swords together. Caspian then ended the duel by getting his sword to Edmund's throat. They were both grinning, while Lucy and I and the crew were all clapping. Caspian then took his sword away from Edmund's neck and clasped his shoulder.

"You've grown stronger my friend."

"It seems I have." Edmund replied.

I then decided something and spoke bravely.

"Hey, Caspian." He looked over. "I'll challenge you to a duel." Everyone then looked at me, while I was grinning flirtatiously and teasingly at Caspian. He immediately grinned back, and I could see he was flirting with me too.

"I accept your challenge, Miss Alexandra."

Lucy jumped off the barrel and ran inside, then returned ten seconds later with my swords. I took them from her, thanking her. I then hopped down off of the barrel, and walked over to Caspian. We circled at each other, both smiling at each other. I made the first move and striked, but he blocked with his sword. He made a blow with his sword at my feet, but I did a no-hand cartwheel in the air over it, and I got an 'Oooh!' from our audience. I then smugly grinned, but Caspian knew that I was only playing around. I decided to go all in and not hold back. Our swords were clanging non stop, and I realized how much I had missed being able to fight with weapons. I absolutely loved the amazing feeling of the power I felt when I had the swords in my hands. Caspian managed to then knock one of my swords out of my hand, but I didn't have time to pick it up as Caspian made a strike again. And so, I jumped high and did a forward flip right over his head, landing behind him and immediately turning to swing at him. He managed to stop my strike with his sword. He then made a hard swing at my sword and made my arm swing back, and he stepped forward, getting the sword to my neck, grinning as he did so. Our faces were then an inch apart. But I hadn't lost. I was grinning smugly yet again. I had my remaining sword pointed into his back. Caspian looked over his shoulder slightly and saw my attack. He looked back at me, grinning even more. The crew were all cheering.

"Alright, back to work." Drinian announced from his position near the wheel on the upper deck.

Caspian and I drew our swords away from each other, and then he retrieved my other one, handing it back to me with a slight bow, at which I returned with a laugh.

"You've grown much stronger too. Do you practise at home?" Caspian asked, as a crew member came over and offered to take our weapons back to the cabin.

"My Martial Arts I do. But not with any weapons. The last time I fought with a weapon was in the Battle of Beruna. So, a while ago."

"You seem to have the natural gift." Caspian told me.

"I wouldn't go that far. I think a lot of warriors have that."

"Not that I've seen. The vast majority have to be trained for years and years before they become even half as good as you. You're not in that vast majority. You're one of the rare few who are gifted. Aslan did give you the title of 'Dexterous' for a reason." I grinned and got a little flustered at his compliment.

"Well, thank you. That really means a lot." I reached up and gave him a short hug, but I most definitely didn't want it to be short. I could stay in his arms forever. I felt so safe and secure in his arms, and I loved the feeling of us together.

We then heard Eustace having another moan and rant over at Lucy and Edmund. As much as it pained me to do it, I broke away from Caspian and looked over at Eustace. Caspian followed my gaze. Caspian started to walk over to him and I followed.

"I'll have you know that as soon as we find civilisation, I'm contacting the British Consul." Eustace was saying, making a move to walk away from Lucy and Edmund. I saw that Reepicheep was also sitting next to my siblings. "Have you all arrested for kidnapping!" He then turned and bumped into Caspian, stepping back soon after.

"Kidnapping, is it? That's funny. I thought we saved your life."

"You held me against my will!"

"Did I?" Caspian was now being sarcastic, but Eustace didn't notice.

"In what I must say is one of the most unhygienic quarters! It's like a zoo down there!"

"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Reepicheep said, addressing Edmund.

"He's just warming up." Edmund replied, and from the tone of his voice, it was as though they were about to go into another argument.

"Land ho!" A crew member than announced loudly. Caspian turned and ran up the stairs to the upper deck to stand next to Drinian in order to get a better look. Lucy, Edmund, and I went to the edge of the ship and looked over, just about seeing a piece of land on the horizon.

We had reached the Lone Islands by sunset. I was standing with Edmund, Caspian, and Drinian on the upper deck. Caspian was looking through the telescope at the Islands.

"The Lone Islands. The Port of Narrowhaven."

"Strange. Not a Narnian flag in sight." Caspian said, then handing the telescope to Edmund.

"But the Lone Islands have always been Narnia's." Edmund said, quickly looking through the telescope.

"Seems suspicious." Drinian announced, and I nodded in agreement. I don't know whether it was the light or not, but the place looked eerie.

"I say we prepare a landing party. Drinian." Edmund ordered, sounding very much like a King.

Drinian hesitated. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but the chain of commands starts with King Caspian on this ship." I saw that Edmund was a little put down. I felt a little sorry for him because he's always been second in line. First Peter, now Caspian. But to be fair, it was Caspian's ship. Caspian did look quite embarrassed though.

"Right." Edmund said, not very happily.

"We'll use Long Boats. Drinian pick some men and come ashore." Caspian commanded in his very King-like tone. It made him look very sexy indeed.

"Ay." Drinian said.

"Tevros." Caspian said to the Minotaur standing behind us. I think he was second Captain on the ship. Caspian then grabbed my hand and led me down the stairs as Tevros commanded the crew to prepare the Long Boats and prepare to drop the anchor. I then realized that Caspian and I had never held hands before. My hand looked so small in his large one, but I wasn't complaining in the slightest. It made me smile.

Edmund, Lucy, Caspian, and I rushed into the cabin to add on some fighting gear just in case; nothing heavy. We also attached our sheath belts around our waists and made sure that we had everything we needed. I was excited to see a part of Narnia that I had never seen before, but I was also a little nervous because the island seemed rather dangerous and suspicious. And we didn't exactly have a large army to help us fight if we needed it.


	15. Chapter 15

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Fifteen~*~The Lone Islands~***

Lucy and I went back out onto the deck after we had gotten slightly geared up, both equipped with our weapons. As Lucy was older now than when she was here last, she felt that she was ready to fight with a sword. And so, Caspian had given her a sword for her to keep. It wasn't as long as a typical sword, it was a little longer than one of my swords. And while the ship was coming to a halt near the Lone Islands, I did quickly teach Lucy some tactics so that she would be somewhat prepared if we were attacked on the island.

So, Lucy and I found that the crew members had gotten two long boats ready to take some members of the ship ashore. Caspian and Edmund were standing on the upper deck, helping to get things sorted. Lucy and I went over.

"Everything is ready to go." Caspian announced to us. "We'll go first and help you down." Edmund went down the ladder first, followed by Caspian. Lucy and I looked over the edge as they reached the boat. "Okay, girls. You're free to come down."

I motioned for Lucy to go first, holding her hand as she climbed over the edge. Once I saw that she had been safely helped onto the boat by Caspian, I took Drinian's hand as he helped me climb over the edge of the boat. The ladder was pretty easy to climb down, I just had to watch my footing, being the clumsy person that I am. And of course the wind didn't make it easy. My long red hair kept whipping across my face so I had to guess where I was putting my feet.

I then felt two hands hold my waist just as I was putting my feet onto the floor of the boat. I turned to find Caspian standing close behind me.  
"Thanks." I said, holding onto his hand as I had to go and sit with Lucy at the opposite end of the boat to Caspian and Edmund. Just as the crew members were about to start rowing, we heard,

"Why do we have to go now?" Eustace then popped his head over the edge of the ship. No one answered him. "Oh fine then." He clambered down the steps, but it didn't go too well as he lost his footing and stumbled down the ladder, at which Caspian had to grab him before he fell into the water. I rolled my eyes. Eustace really is an idiot. Eustace didn't even say thank you to Caspian. He just walked through the middle of the crew members and sat next to Lucy and I.

Once Drinian, Reepicheep and other crew members were in the other boat, the crew members started to row the long boats towards the shore. The crew members pulled the oars repeatedly, trying to get us to the shore as soon as possible as the sun was starting to set in the sky, making everything have an orange-y colour to it.

We soon reached the port within a couple of minutes. Reepicheep said,

"Onwards! The thrill of the unknown lies ahead." He jumped off the boat and stood on his two hind legs to had a look around. I was looking at how deserted the island was. Lucy stood up and a crew member offered his hand to help her. She took it, and then I did once Lucy was on the port. I looked around at the buildings over the wall, and it really didn't look like a very nice place to be. It all had a very Gothic feeling to it. I clutched the hilt of one of my swords at instinct.

"Couldn't this have waited until the morning?" Eustace asked. For once, I actually agreed with him. I really wasn't liking the feeling or the sight of this place, and I had been on it for less than a minute.

"There is no honour in turning away from adventure-land." Reepicheep told him.

I wasn't feeling a sense of adventure. I was feeling adventure back on the ship, but now that I'm here, I felt danger all around us. The huge wall separating us from the buildings didn't help either; it was as though the buildings were trapped.

"Listen. Where is everyone?" Lucy said, looking over at me, but she was addressing everyone. I looked over to my left, trying to listen for any sign of civilisation. There was none. I walked forwards, following Caspian, Edmund and Lucy, but just as we reached a few steps to take us up onto the bigger part of the port, Reepicheep said,

"Come on, jelly-legs."

We turned back to see that Reep had offered to help Eustace, but Eustace wasn't having any of it.

"Quite capable of doing it myself." He then fell onto his face on the port. While Reepicheep sighed, Edmund shook his head and Caspian looked at him, with a very confused look on his face.

"And you're certain he's related by blood?" Caspian asked rhetorically. I grinned as we turned around and carried on walking. I found what Caspian said really meaningful to me, even though he wasn't addressing me. Even though I myself wasn't related to the Pevensies by blood, I was still here. I fought in one of the most memorable wars in Narnia, I was titled by the great Aslan himself, and I was published in a well-known Narnian book. I was honoured.

Caspian took his crossbow off of his back and held it in his hands as we walked around a bit on the bigger part of the dock, being aware of what could potentially be watching us, or what could be waiting to attack us. Everything was silent as we slowly walked further. Only the sound of birds calling to each other could be heard. All of a sudden, the sound of a huge bell being struck then broke the silence, making us all jump and whirl round to look at the huge bell tower, which stood above all of the other buildings. I looked carefully at the bell tower, trying to see if I could see who had caused the noise. I slowly drew one of my swords and held it in my dominant hand; my right.

Once we had recovered from the shock of the noise and had all come to the conclusion that we wouldn't see the culprit unless we were inside to the city, Caspian slowly walked towards the bigger group of stairs, leading towards a gate. "Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the place. We'll head on." And by we, he meant just Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, himself, and I. "If we don't come back by dawn, send a party."

"Yes, Your Majesty." replied Reep, as he went back to Drinian and his men. Edmund and Lucy had also drawn their weapons as we began to climb the stairs.

Once we reached the gate, I put my hand on Caspian's arm and stood close behind him. "Caspian, do you really think it's a good idea to go in here? Just the five of us? What if we get ambushed?" I whispered, looking over his shoulder into his face. He turned to head slightly to look at me.

"It's better to go in like this. Then we're less liking to be seen." When he saw that I was unconvinced, he briefly took one hand off of his crossbow to lay on top of my hand that was on his arm. "Don't worry. We've got each others' back." I contemplated, then nodded, letting go of his arm as we entered the city, only making a very small gap in the gate. I figured it wasn't good to question Caspian loads, as he had fought wars, and he is the King.

It was completely deserted. There wasn't a person in sight. Neither was there a light anywhere. We made sure to stick to the shadows, all with our weapons at the ready and our minds on full alert. None of us spoke, just in case we were to be heard by someone to whom we didn't want to hear us.

By the time we were over to the other side of the city, it had gotten much darker. The sun had just about set at this point, and it was starting to get darker every minute. I was feeling more and more in danger with every step we took, not only because it was getting darker, but with every step we took, it took us that bit further away from our companions.

Just as Caspian, Edmund, Lucy and I were approaching tall double doors, that led into one of the bigger buildings where we thought the bell was situated (there were many tall buildings over here that we could see once we were in the city), Eustace then came running over to us, not making any move to be subtle at all. "Yeah, looks like nobody's in so do you think we should head back?" He didn't even make any move to whisper, he just near enough shouted it so that we could hear. Edmund turned to look at Eustace.

"Do you wanna come here and...guard...something?"

"Ah, yes!" Eustace ran back over, and he was acting and speaking as though everything was okay and as though we weren't in a suspicious and dangerous place. "Good idea, cousin! Very err logical!"

I breathed out in a frustrated sigh, and then turned back to look at the tower. I really wasn't looking forward to going in there. But before we could go in, we had to deal with Eustace. Caspian walked back to him and handed Eustace a dagger. He took the dagger from him after a moments look at it. I wondered whether he actually knew what to do with it...His expression didn't convince me otherwise. Caspian came back over and laid a hand on one of the doors, and pushed.

"I've got it, I've got it. Don't worry!" Eustace said, and Edmund turned to look at him with a really frustrated look on his face. I now know what Edmund must have experienced for the last eight months. I'm surprised he's lasted this long without attempting to strangle Eustace or lock him up somewhere. But that was going off topic. I turned back round and focused fully on what we were walking into. Eustace was situated in front of the door, at which we left open as the four of us entered the room.

The doors made an eerie echoing sound as they opened further on their own once we had passed them. The room was really big. And I mean _huge_. I couldn't even see the ceiling; probably because it was hard to see in the small amount of light that we had, but it seemed to go on for miles. With every footstep we took, we could hear it bounce off all the walls and echo around the entire room. Even though it was such a wide opened and spaced room, it made me feel claustrophobic. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. The sheer size of the room made me feel vulnerable and weak, as thought the walls could just swallow me up at any moment.

Edmund then jolted my mind by switching on his torch that Caspian had returned to him when we arrived here. He used it to look around the room, but to tell you the truth, there wasn't much to look at.

"Ur, I'm ready to go when you are!" Eustace called to us, his voice echoing around the room. However, none of us took any notice of him as we were being too careful within the room, and were focusing on the task at hand. There were small windows that were situated high in the walls, and they were allowing rays of the remainder of the setting sun to be cast into the room.

There was a desk in the middle of the room, at which a pile of books were stacked on. A couple were open, but the one that grabbed our attention was the biggest one, which was laying on the top of a few others. Edmund shined his torch on the page, so that we can read what it was about. There were names all down one side of the page, and then a price next to it. Some had lines through them.

"Who're there people?" Lucy asked.

"Why've they been crossed out?" Edmund followed her.

I studied it carefully with furrowed eyebrows. "It looks like some sort of auction. And these look like the price they're sold at?" I said, but it ended up coming out as a question, because I wasn't really sure if auctions for people still existed. They certainly didn't back on earth to my recollection. Not in the more wealthy countries anyway.

"Slave Traders." Caspian said, with a hint of angry in his tone. He concluded my confused thought.

Just then, without warning, the bell was struck again, only this time much louder. We heard angry cries of men from above us, and then the bottom ends of ropes fell all around us. Men were sliding down the ropes, weapons at the ready. I drew both swords and launched myself into the fight.

"Look out!" Caspian yelled, and fired an arrow behind me. He'd hit a guy who was about to make a strike at me from behind. I would thank Caspian later. We all had about three men each to fight, and their fighting tactics and techniques were much different to those of the Telmarine soldiers, that I could remember anyway.

I found myself almost enjoying the fight, remembering the feeling I used to get when I fought all those years ago here. I kicked, punched, and struck at the slave traders, knocking them off their feet. But, I was a lot slower than I once was. I was too many years out of practise with my weapons. Friendly duelling with Caspian back on the ship was easy, because I knew that he wouldn't hurt me at all. Whereas these guys, looked ready enough to kill us all.

Just when I was starting to get my tactics back, I heard a very girlish cry. We all turned to look towards the door, and found that a man had Caspian's dagger to Eustace's throat. None of carried on fighting; we were all just looking at Eustace and the man, terror and anger on our faces. The man then slammed the door, trapping us in here. The man started to walk forward, still holding the dagger to Eustace's throat. "Unless you wanna 'ear this squirm squeal like a girl again, I'd say you should drop your weapons."

"Let them go!" Eustace told him, but the man shushed him. Eustace was pretty brave to speak up to the guy who had a dagger to his throat.

"Now!" The man ordered, and we had no choice but to comply. We all put our weapons on the floor, slowly. "Put it down, put it down."

"Eustace." Edmund said, and he looked, and sounded, a little annoyed that Eustace had gotten caught.

"Put 'em in iron!" The men chained us all up by the wrists. The man was very rough with my wrists, and I had to stop myself from wincing.

"Get your hands off me!" Lucy called out. I felt so helpless.

I had two men standing on each side of me, both holding onto my shoulders firmly. I felt very uncomfortable under their grasp, and their gaze; they were both starring at me, grinning as though they had just won a prize. I looked forward, and tried to look as strong and fierce as possible, so hopefully they'll stop starring at me. I glanced over at Caspian and he was starring at the man, who still had a hold of Eustace, but by his ear this time. The dagger lay limp in his other hand. "Let's take these three to market." He meant Lucy, Eustace, and myself. Caspian quickly turned to me, and he saw my desperate and fearful face. "Send those two to the dungeons."

Another guy then advanced on me, and in a very perverted way. I wasn't going to let him touch me. And so I cried out slightly in type of battle cry, jumped up as much as my strength would allow against the hands weighing me down, and I kicked the guy in the face. I stumbled backwards, holding onto his bleeding lip. I didn't lose my stand. The other two guys held me more tightly, but I was still starring down the guy I had kicked with a very angry look.

"Actually, best to put that one in the dungeons too. Don't want 'er causing trouble at market." The leader man said. Caspian then struggled against the men holding him, as the guy I had kicked looked at me in anger.

"Listen to me you insolent fool! I am Your King!" Caspian shouted. I tried to struggle too, but then the guy came back over to me and backhanded me across the face, making me cry out in pain as my head whipped to the left.

"You gonna pay for that!" Edmund shouted.

"Actually, someone else is going to pay...for all of you."

I looked up a little, and saw that the leader man was looking closely at Caspian. Just as he turned, two of the men started to struggle with Eustace and Lucy, heading towards the door.

"No! Edmund!" Lucy shouted desperately.

"Lucy!" Edmund and I yelled out to her, as we were being pulled in the opposite direction.

"Alex!" Lucy screamed, but then she was gone, and the doors slammed once again.

I knew that it was hopeless to struggle, and so I just let them lead us to wherever we were going. I was, however, thinking of escape plans, and looking around at the route that they had brought us down, just in case we were lucky enough to escape. After a few more minutes of being dragged across streets and through tunnels and corridors, we reached a building, that just looked like an ordinary house. But, once we go in it, we went down the stairs so that we were underground. It was a dungeon. I then started to struggle, but I was too late as they had throw Edmund, Caspian, and I into a cell, locking it up quickly.

The ground was solid when I hit it, but thankfully I had caught my upper body before it hit the ground with my hands on the ground. I wasn't hurt, well, except for my cheek, but that was just a stinging feeling. Caspian jumped up and tried to tug the barred door, but it wouldn't budge.

There was just enough light in here that I could make things out. It took a bit more effort, but it was fine. I looked over at Edmund, and saw that he had his eyes closed and that he wasn't moving. I scrambled over to him, putting my ear to his mouth. He was still breathing. He must be knocked out. I checked his head carefully, making sure that he hadn't gone any serious damage. There was only a little trickle of blood. He must have hit his head on the ground.

"I think he's okay. He's just knocked out." I said to Caspian. He came back over, and we moved Edmund into a more comfortable position, away from the door. We didn't want him to get even more hurt.

After we had moved Edmund, I took a seat on one of the higher parts of the ground in the cell. I touched my cheek gently, but winced loudly and took my hand away. Caspian then came over and knelt in front of me. He gently moved my chin slightly to the side, so that he could get a good view of my bruised cheek. He tenderly touched the bruise with his fingertips, but I winced away, moving my head away from his fingers on instinct. "Sorry." He whispered to me. If the bruise hadn't of been there, I would happily have stayed in the same position.

I looked back at Caspian, and saw that he was gritting his teeth. "He will pay for that. No one hits a lady. No one." I don't think that I had ever seen him this angry before.

"Caspian, it's fine. It's not a big deal."

He was prepared to convince me otherwise. "Your face has the outline of fingers on it."

"I've had worse. Honestly. And you've seen those wounds."

"Those were because you were in a battle. This one was completely unnecessary."

I smiled. The anger and sadness in his face really showed me how much he did truly care. I felt the tenderness between us at that moment, and I found myself brushing a piece of his dark brown hair out of his eyes, and then moving on to stroke his cheekbone with my forefinger. "Just let it go." I whispered to him, the smile still on my face. I knew he wasn't going to let it go, but it was worth a try. He didn't reply to what I asked of him, he only looked into my eyes; I was looking back into his, my fingers still dancing across his face. Without breaking the eye contact, he reached his hand up to his face and took my hand moving it from his cheek to his lips, where he closed his eyes and kissed the back of my hand. The gesture made my eyes water with tears ever so slightly. Just by that one move, he told me near enough everything that I needed to know about how he felt. He looked back into my eyes, but still held my hand. He then moved his head towards mine. It was as though time had slowed down, and I could see him move every inch separately. His lips headed for my injured cheek. He kissed my wound tenderly, and I felt the love just by that one soft kiss. It made me feel content. He moved his head back round, and rested his forehead against mine; I could feel his breath on my lips.

"Thank you." I whispered in the softest voice. "And for earlier. For saving my life. Again." I smiled again, with my eyes closed.

"When was the first time?" He whispered, and once again I felt his breath on my lips.

"Three years ago. When you rode in on your horse, sword raised, and killed those two Telmarines." I said it slowly, knowing that slow and soft were the crucial things in this moment.

"I'd come and save you any day." He'd said those words before. I smiled once again. He smiled also and gave me a quick peck on my nose, at which I giggled. He grinned as he stood back on his feet and held out his hands to help me up with.

When we were both on our feet, we looked around the room, trying to see if there was any other way out. But no luck. There was only the barred door that we could get out of, if we had the keys that is. There were also a couple of barred window high up on the wall, but we couldn't escape from them even if there were no bars because the space was too small. Caspian went over to the door to check whether he could open it with a lock pick or something, while I jumped up the wall and held onto the bars on the window.

I looked outside, but I couldn't see anything, only that the moon was rising high in the sky by this point. I tried to look as far as I could left and right, but all I could see was a port on the other side of the island, and the sea in front of me. Another island could be seen from where I was, but only the outline, so I didn't know if there was civilisation on that island, and I wasn't about to call out to the unknown.

"Caspian, I don't think it's any use. I think we're going to have to wait it out until morning."

Caspian moved away from the door and sat down where we were originally. I jumped down and went to sit by him.

I felt sleepy all of a sudden, and I made a move to lay down. I tossed and turned for a while, trying to get comfortable. But it was impossible when you're laying on a solid and rocky ground. Not only was my body uncomfortable, but the ground was too rocky for me to rest my head on. I tried to lean on my arm, but that didn't work either.

"Here." Caspian said, and I turned over to notice that he had laid next to me, and had laid his arm out for me to rest my head on. I smiled and complied.

"Thank you." I scooted over and rest my head on his upper arm, my body facing his. I found myself closing my eyes, and just as I hit the drowsiness, I heard Caspian whisper,

"You're welcome."


	16. Chapter 16

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Sixteen~*~The Secret of Doorn~***

I woke up the next morning with a horrible pain in my side. I had managed to roll over in my spot during the night, and my back was now resting on a slightly pointed rock. Thankfully it wasn't too painful; just a slight ache.

I stretched slightly, and then look to my right, seeing that Caspian was still sound asleep next to me. My head was still resting on his arm, and I feared that he had probably lost the feeling in his arm if there had been a weight on it for several hours. He looked so peaceful, and he had a slight smile on his face, so either he was dreaming, or just generally looked adorable while he slept.

I looked over to my left and saw that Edmund had changed position, so he must have woken up during the night out of his unconsciousness, saw that we were asleep, and decided to sleep himself. He didn't appear to be injured, at least not critically. I couldn't see any wounds or blood on him anywhere so that was good.

I sat up slowly, then put my hand on my lower back to try and soothe the aching pain. It did help a lot. I noticed that Caspian was then sitting up; I must have stirred him when I got.

"Morning." He said. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Didn't wake up once. But I think I chose a rather awkward place to sleep because my back now aches." I stood up and walked around slowly, trying to see if there was any other way out. It was much easier to see things now as sunlight was pouring in through some of the tiny gaps in the cracked bricks, and the barred windows that were set high up on the walls.

Caspian had gotten up and was also looking around, and then I heard his foot collide with the barred door. I turned and saw that he was putting a lot of effort into his kicks to try to get that door down. At this, Edmund stirred.

"You alright?" Caspian asked him, momentarily stopping attacking the door.

Edmund sat up, wincing slightly. "Yeah."

Caspian turned back to the door and kicked it more violently, calling out slightly as he did so.

"It's hopeless." The voice came from the shadows, and Edmund jumped to his feet, while Caspian and I immediately turned to where the voice came from. "You'll never get out." I was shocked that we had been in here all night and hadn't noticed someone lurking in the shadows. We could have all been killed in our sleep if the person was bad. But, considering the voice was within this cell with us, I'm assuming that he's good.

"Who's there?" Edmund asked, walking a little closer, but Caspian was still the closest to the voice. He then very slowly took a few steps forward towards the voice. I stood close by Edmund.

"A nobody. Just a voice in my head."

As Caspian walked closer, a face of an old man then appeared from the shadows. I instinctively grabbed Edmund's upper arm, feeling a little shocked. The old man's clothes were dirty and ripped, and his beard and hair were grey and looked like they hadn't been combed in years.

I noticed that Caspian was looking deeply at him, as though he recognised him. The old man was starring back.

"Lord Bern." Caspian said, and I then looked more closely at the man, and vaguely recognised him from one of the portraits of the Seven Lords back on the Dawn Treader.

The old man looked taken aback from the mention of his name, but then quickly recovered.

"Was once. But I am no longer deserving of that title." He wasn't making eye contact now; he was looking at the floor instead. Caspian looked back at Edmund and I.

"Is he one of the seven?" Edmund asked him, and Caspian nodded slightly. He then went over to Lord Bern, and then crouched down in front of him so that they were at eye level with each other.

Lord Bern looked deeply into Caspian's face. "Your face. You remind me of a King I once loved well." Caspian smiled slightly. "That man was my father."

Lord Bern gasped lightly and made a move to bow. "Oh my Lord! Please, forgive me!" Before he could bow, Caspian grabbed his upper arms and helped him to his feet, saying,

"No. Please, please." Caspian really was the perfect King. Just so kind and gentle and very respectful of everyone that deserved it.

Just as they got to their feet, the sound of horses whinnying emitted into the room from the window, followed by a cry of "No!"

I ran over and jumped up the wall, grabbing onto the bars in the hole in the wall, keeping myself up on the wall. I also stuck my toes into gaps that I found on the wall. Edmund and Caspian then climbed up either side of me and we all looked out to see what was going on below.

A cart was carrying about a dozen people of all ages. They were all chained by their wrists and their ankles. They looked like slaves. A man and a little girl were running frantically behind the cart, trying to catch up with it. Of course, the man was faster than the girl.

"Helaine!" The running man called out, grabbing onto her, by getting pushed away by one of the guards jogging behind the cart.

"Mummy!" The little girl was calling. When the man made another move to reach the woman, the guard punched him in the face, knocking the man to the ground.

"Don't worry! I'll find you!" The man called out from his position on the ground.

"Oh my god..." I whispered, shocked at what I saw and not liking it in the slightest. The soldiers then started to load the people from the cart onto a small boat at the harbour.

"Where're they taking them?" Caspian asked Lord Bern.

"Keep watching." He replied.

A green mist then appeared out of thin air just on the surface of the water, and under the fast moving shadows of the clouds. Once the boat reached the mist, it swallowed up the boat, so that the boat was no longer in sight. When the mist evaporated, there was no boat, and no people. They literately just vanished. There wasn't even any remains of the boat anywhere.

"What happened?" Caspian asked, just as shocked as Edmund and I.

"It's a sacrifice." Lord Bern informed us.

I turned round to look at Lord Bern. "Where did they go?"

"No one knows." Edmund, Caspian, and I got down and went over to Lord Bern. "The mist was first seen to the East. Reports of fisherman and sailors disappearing out at sea. We Lords made a pact to find the source of the mist and destroy it. They'd set sail, but none came back. You see, if they don't sell you to the slave traders, you're likely to be fed to the mist."

I then started panicking and I grabbed Edmund's arm. "We have to find Lucy!" I looked round at them all. "Before it's too late."

A few men then came by a few minutes later, and put us all in iron, including Lord Bern. We didn't protest this time as this was the opportunity we had been waiting for. It was the chance for us to get out of this cell and to find Lucy and Eustace. The men grabbed us rather violently, and pushed us out of the cell, gripping onto our shoulders tightly. Caspian was in front of me, and Edmund and Lord Bern behind me. They led us up some stairs, quite a lot of stairs actually, and then we rounded a corner, finding ourselves out in the open. We were on one of the upper levels of the building at which the cell had been situated in or under.

"Come on now! Someone make a bid!" We heard from below, and I looked over the edge as we were led up yet another flight of stairs. Eustace was standing on a platform, with the lead trade salesman standing behind him. There was a crowd gathered in front of the platform, and I assumed they were all slave traders or bidders.

"I'll take them off your hands." That voice sounded a lot like Reepicheep... "I'll take them all off your hands!"

A man pulled down his hood, to reveal himself to be Drinian, with Reepicheep standing on his shoulder. Various members of the crowd then pulled down their hoods to reveal themselves. It was the rest of the crew. Relief flooded through me as our rescuers started shouting "For Narnia!" repeatedly.

They then all drew their swords and launched into fighting the slave traders. Havoc then sprawled across everyone in the courtyard as battle cries were emitted, the clanging of swords could be heard, and the villagers all peered out of their windows and opened their doors.

The men holding onto Edmund, Caspian, Lord Bern, and I, then looked down, finding their team-mates being unexpectedly ambushed. They then turned back to look at us with fuming expressions on their faces. They all scared me as we were all chained and weaponless, yet their all had their swords in their hands now. Caspian then turned and hit one of the men round the face with his joined hands, making the man fall to the ground. That was our cue to fight back.

We were quite limited at what we could do because we had our hands tied together and we had no weapons, but we were handling it pretty well. I found myself using more kicks than anything else. I ran up and kicked one of the men over the edge, while Caspian rammed his fists into another man's stomach, making him fall over the edge too.

I saw that Edmund had got his chain (that's holding his wrists together) across one of the man's throat, who had fallen to his knees as Edmund was almost strangling him.

"Get the keys!" He urgently commanded Lord Bern, who immediately complied.

More men were making their way up to us to try to stop us fighting and get the upper hand. We weren't going to let that happen. Caspian and I had managed to make our way onto a walkway between two houses and were fighting the oncoming men.

When we had gotten another one to the ground, Caspian looked over to Lord Bern and shouted, "Keys!" Lord Bern tossed him the keys, and Caspian headed over to me and grabbed my wrists quickly, unlocking the iron. I dropped the iron wrist lockers and quickly unlocked Caspian's. I dropped the keys and rushed to the edge, looking over to see everyone still in battle, including Lucy, who was fighting well with her sword. The villagers were also starting to join in the fight, most likely getting their revenge upon those who had destroyed their lives and had taken away their family and friends. However, there was no sign of Eustace.

Caspian ran back up to the others and grabbed a rope that was hanging from the top of the building. He pulled back, and then swung. He kicked a man with great speed, and so the man went hurtling through a wooden wall and fell to the level below. I grinned at Caspian's stunt, and then ran towards a wall and doing my kick off the wall, then swinging round to kick another man in the face. Caspian then jumped through the hole that he made in the wall and punched the man in the face, making sure that he was unconscious.

I looked round and saw that there were no more bad guys to fight. I didn't stop to catch my breath, as I ran down the stairs and into the courtyard, making my way over to Lucy. I straight away pulled her into a hug.

"Lucy! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I asked her in rush, grabbing onto her shoulders after we broke away from our hug.

"I'm okay, I'm alright. Are you okay?"

I nodded and still held onto one of her shoulders as I looked around. I saw that Lord Bern walked off towards the port, Caspian had headed over to the wounded members of his crew, while Edmund ran over to Lucy and I. He made sure she was okay also, and then we were approached by Caspian.

"Is anyone injured?" He asked us, and we shook our heads. He then unexpectedly pulled me into a hug, wrapping one arm around my shoulder blades, and the other hand was rested on my waist. I smiled and returned the hug. I'm so glad that neither of us had gotten hurt in that fight, especially as I would've had to see Caspian angry if someone had laid a finger on me. Even though it's so nice to have someone feel that way about you, I don't like seeing Caspian angry. We broke away from the hug when we saw Drinian approach us, along with a few crew members.

"We believe these belong to you, Your Majesties."

Drinian and the crew members were holding out our weapons for us. Well, for me, Edmund, and Caspian anyways. Lucy had retrieved hers during the fight. We took back our weapons with thanks to Drinian and the others.

"Thank you. Where did you find them?" Caspian asked, while we were attaching the belts around our waists.

"They were positioned on the other side of the courtyard."

At least we had them back. I don't think I would feel happy having to fight with another sword.

We were making our way back to the port, and it looks as though the whole of the island had gathered either side of the main path to cheer for their rescuers and restorers. Caspian was in front, with Drinian, Edmund, Lucy and I behind him, and then the rest of the crew following behind us. Caspian was leading us through the parted crowd, who were all cheering and throwing some flowers down on the ground to thank us. We all were smiling or had grins on our faces at the appreciation from the villagers. It really was amazing, and I truly felt like a Narnian at that point. It was an astonishing feeling to have.

"Your Majesty!" We heard, and a man then walked forwards, trying to get to Caspian, but Drinian held him back, while Caspian and Edmund instinctively put their hands on the hilts of their swords. I recognised the man as the same person who had tried to get to the woman on the cart this morning. "My wife was taken just this morning!"

"Daddy!" The same little girl from this morning then appeared next to him. She must have only been about ten or eleven years old.

"It's alright, Drinian." Caspian said, letting go of his sword and holding his hand out to motion for the man to come closer to him. He put his hand on the man's shoulder as he started to walk with us.

"I beg you, take me with you." The man asked, while the little girl clutched onto his shirt.

"I want to come!" She said, but the man dismissed her.

"No Gael. Stay with your aunt." He turned back to Caspian. "I'm a fine sailor. Been on the seas all my life."

Caspian patted him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, and said,

"Of course, you must."

"Thank you." The man looked very grateful. Caspian then continued to walk through the crowd, and we all followed. The man said goodbye to his daughter with a kiss and a hug. I saw that Lucy was looking at them, and there was a hint of sadness in her expression. It must have brought back memories from when we had to say goodbye to our parents as they headed off half way around the world.

We were heading down the long flight of stairs that we walked up to get the gate when we arrived here, and the villagers were all still following us and applauding. We then heard,

"My King! My King!"

We reached the bottom of the stairs and turned round to our right, and found Lord Bern approaching us slowly with what looked like a sword laid across the palms of both his hands. The sword was covered in something, and to me, it looked as though it had been stored somewhere for a long time, and wherever it had been stored, elements of rock and debris had covered it. Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Drinian and I stopped in front of him, while the rest of the crew members were slowly making their way back towards the two long boats that were still situated at the edge of the harbour.

"This was given to me by your father. I hid it safely in a cave all these years."

"That's an old Narnian sword." Edmund pointed out, stepping a little closer to get a better look. I was amazed that he could see what type of sword it was as it was hidden by all the rubble.

"It's from your Golden Age." Lord Bern replied to Edmund. Wow, that sword is over thirteen hundred years old. "There are seven such swords. Gifts from Aslan to protect Narnia." He addressed Caspian once again. "Your father entrusted them to us. Here. Take it." He held out the sword for Caspian to take. Caspian took a few steps towards Lord Bern, his eyes still on the sword. "And may it protect you."

Caspian took the sword and held it by the hilt. It was a magnificent sword. I found myself smiling at Caspian. He looked deeply at the sword, and I could see that he was proud to have something that once belonged to his father. I don't think he has many things that were his father's, so it was an important moment for him.

"Thank you, My Lord." He said to Lord Bern, and then stepped closer to him and clasped him on the shoulder. "And we shall find your lost citizens." The crowd then cheered a little louder as we started to make our way over to the long boats. I gave a little bow to Lord Bern, and he bowed his head in return and gave me a smile.

Lucy and I led the way over to the long boats, but before we got there, I turned as I heard Caspian address Edmund. I saw that he was holding out the sword for Edmund to take, at which he did. Caspian smiled and patted Edmund on the back. I smiled at Edmund. I knew that he had always felt a little left out because he had never truly had a sword or weapon of his own. Peter, Susan, and Lucy had been given them by Father Christmas, but at that point, Edmund was on the side of the White Witch. And of course, then I got my two swords in their treasure vault the last time we were here. SO I was happy for Edmund that he had finally been given a magnificent weapon of his own.

Caspian walked over to me and put his hand on my upper back and led me over to the boat.

"That was a really nice thing for you to do, Caspian." I said to him, looking up at him as we continued to walk over to the long boats.

"He deserves it." Caspian smiled back at me, and then took my hand to help me into the long boat. Instead of sitting at opposite ends of the boat, Caspian came to sit next to me, and once everyone else was seated in the ship, I rested my head on Caspian's shoulder. I felt his head tilt slightly as he rested the side of his head on mine momentarily.


	17. Chapter 17

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Seventeen~*~Aboard the Dawn Treader~***

I woke up in Caspian's cabin the following day, feeling well rested. I saw that the room was alight with sun rays beaming in from the windows. I instantly smiled; sunshine tends to have that feeling on most people. I looked to the other side of the bed, and found it empty. Lucy must be up on deck already. I still don't know how she gets up so early in the morning. I yawned and stretched, and soon got up, sitting on the side of the bed for a little while. I then rose, and the wood felt warm against the bottom of my feet as I headed over to the window seat. I sat down crossed legged, and looked out of the window, seeing that that Lone Islands were no longer in view from this angle (as Caspian's cabin was situated at the back of the ship). I started to recall the events of yesterday, and found myself smiling again, but this time, about a particular person.

Once we had gotten back to the ship, we immediately set sail Eastward on Caspian's command. He wanted to find the lost Lords and citizens as soon as possible, which of course is what we all wanted. I had studied the map of the Eastern Ocean, and found that no further islands had been marked East of the Lone Islands. This did scare me a little as we had no idea what we were sailing into, but at the same time, it also evokes this feeling of adventure. It was a familiar feeling, and I hadn't felt it in a long while. It was a good type of familiar feeling.

The evening then quickly came around, and I found that five members of the crew had emitted from below deck, all holding various instruments. I had been confused as to why they were setting up in the corner of the deck with these instruments. After this, I had then noticed that none of the crew were working. Soon enough, a couple of members were then handing around goblet's of wine. When they handed me one, I took it, but I was looking around with a very confused expression on my face. I was trying to figure out what was going on. I then realized once Drinian stood on the upper deck, next to Caspian, and made a speech. He had presented that it was the third anniversary of King Caspian X and the restoration of Narnia from Miraz and the Telmarines. We all raised our glasses and drunk to this.

The celebration went on all through the evening. There was dancing, laughter, chatter, singing, and various other forms of celebration. I had remembered the majority of the songs that they were playing, as the songs had been performed at Caspian's coronation. I had deliberately remembered them as it was one of the only things that kept me connected to Caspian during the years that we were apart. I enjoyed hearing them being performed again. Rhince, the man who had joined the crew from the Lone Islands, was a very good singer. He was singing the majority of the songs, while a lot of people were dancing along.

As I was sitting on one of the barrels, I found myself singing along to a lot of the songs, the ones that I could remember anyway. Lucy and Edmund then let it slip that I could sing well. The "band" were then ushering me to pick a song that they could play, so that I could perform. I had to admit that I was a little embarrassed at everyone ushering me, but at the same time, it was really flattering. And so, I chose one of my favourites called "I'm Home". It was a kind of upbeat love song, and the lyrics were beautiful. Rhince and I sang the duet, and we were dancing around, while everyone was clapping along to the beat. I found myself grinning as I sang. It was probably one of the happiest moments of my life. It was so carefree, and I felt full of life. And, what made the whole moment much better, was that Rhince had spun me graceless across part of the deck, and I landed right in Caspian's arms. He was grinning down at me, and he started to dance along with me, never taking his eyes off of me, just as I never took my eyes off of him. It took me back to the evening of his coronation. How was dancing around together. All I wanted to do was keep dancing with him. I never wanted to leave his arms. But unfortunately, the song had to end. When it did, everyone was applauding, but Caspian and I were just smiling at each other, thinking that we were the only two people in the world. All I wanted to do was kiss him, but I knew that I couldn't. And so, I stepped out of his arms and bowed to him, as he did to me, both of us still smiling. Rhince and I then turned to each other and bowed. I then laughed as I walked over and sat down again by Lucy and Edmund. The smile didn't leave my face for the rest of the evening.

I sat on the window seat for a while longer, thinking about how much I loved Caspian's arms around me, and what I would give to have them around me much more often. Just to feel special to him, or important to him. I somehow knew that I did mean something to him, but I wish that it was confirmed, and that he would tell me. As the King, can he have a relationship with "average" people like me? Is it frowned upon here? Does he have to have a relationship or marry someone with some form of title? But then, I have a form of title. I've been titled by the great Aslan himself. That's got to count for something...right?

At that moment, the door opened, and Lucy came in, thankfully pulling me out of my thoughts. I hate it when I ramble. It just gets me all confused about what's right and wrong with situations or people.

"Hey. You're up." She said, closing the door softly behind her, and coming to sit opposite me on the window seat. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well thank you. It was probably one of the best night's sleep I've gotten in a good long while."

"You definitely needed a rest from all the singing and dancing you did last night."

I grinned. "Yup, I agree with you there."

She smiled back at me. There was a little pause. "You're really happy here, aren't you?" I didn't really make any indication, as I didn't want her to think that I never wanted to leave, although that was the situation in my head right now. "I don't think I've ever seen you that happy before."

I smiled once again. "I'll be honest and say that that's the happiest I've been. In a long while. I just felt so free."

"I think it was a little more than that." I furrowed my eyebrows at her. "I think it was mainly to do with Caspian." I put my head back against the wall, and looked out of the window. I no longer had the smile on my face. Lucy leaned forward and put her hand on mine. "Alex, it's perfectly fine to feel that way. We can all see the chemistry and connection between you two."

I sighed, feeling a little frustrated at myself. "No matter how much I try, I just cannot stop thinking about him. He's the first thing I think about in the morning, and the last at night. And he rarely leaves my mind during the day." I paused. "I'm just setting myself up for heartbreak again."

I saw out of the corner of my eye that Lucy shook her head. I looked at her. "I don't think that's true. Not everything ends in heartbreak. And like Aslan said, things never happen the same way twice." She smiled and squeezed my hand, and I smiled at her in thanks. She then patted my hand, standing up afterwards. "Come on up on deck. It's a beautiful day."

Just as she took my hand and I stood up, I noticed that she was bare-foot. "Is that why you're bare-foot?" I laughed lightly.

She laughed too. "It sure is."

Lucy left the room while I got changed, but it was too hot to wear trousers. And so, I rolled up the legs to my knees, and left my feet bare.

I met up with Lucy outside of our cabin, and then we headed up on deck together. The heat hit me like a wave once we reached the outside, and I breathed out heavily, blowing my fringe out of my face, also trying to cool my face down. There was hardly any wind today, well, not that I could feel anyways. The ships' sails looked like they had enough wind blowing against them to keep the ship on course, but, what do I know about ships really?

**Caspian's POV**

From my position on the upper level of the ship, leaning on my forearms against the barrier, I noticed that Alex and Lucy had emerged from the cabin, both bare-footed. Both looking exceptional, particularly Alex. Her red hair was gleaming brilliantly in the heat, adding more fire to the colour. Her green eyes shined vibrantly in the light, as she and Lucy laughed together, whilst heading over to sit on a few barrels that were located to the starboard side of the ship.

I found myself not listening to Drinian, who was describing to me our current position in the Eastern Ocean. I couldn't help but look at Alex. She was breath-taking to just look at. I could look at her for all of eternity, and I would be completely satisfied.

I didn't even notice that Drinian had stopped talking by this point, because Alex then looked up at me. We made eye contact, and I immediately smiled at her, not making any move to look away. Neither did she. She grinned and broke the eye contact, appearing embarrassed which made me smile even more. I also thought I saw a hint of redness creep onto her cheeks. She then bit her lip, which I thought looked adorable on her, and looked back up at me briefly, before laughing lightly and turning back to Lucy.

"Your Majesty, may I ask you a personal question?" Drinian asked me, and I looked towards him, completely forgetting that he was standing next to me.

"Of course, Drinian." I replied back, making sure to pay attention to him, and not to turn to stare at Alex once again.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're very fond of Miss Alexandra, aren't you?" Drinian was my best friend, and therefore, we had conversations with one another that weren't always professional.

I looked back down at Alex, and found that she had just been joined by Edmund, who was continuing to pick the rubble off of his new sword. "I am very much." I answered, not afraid to hide it from him. And even if I did, he would know that I had feelings for Alex. "It's hard because if I knew that she would always be in Narnia, I would tell her and hope that something would come out of it. When she left the last time, we had this kiss. But now, even though there's something between us, I still can't help but wonder if she's moved on."

"There is only one way to find that out. But, if I've correctly noticed, I think she still possesses those feelings for you." Drinian told me.

I instantly smiled. "I hope so." I turned back to him. "But, if you would not mention it to anyone, I would be grateful."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

**Alex's POV**

I'm very thankful for the heat at this very minute. I really didn't want Caspian to see that I was going red in the face from just him looking at me. I've got it bad.

I looked back up at him, to find him still looking at me, but also talking to Drinian. I bit my lip again, debating, but then decided just to go for it. I bid goodbye to Lucy, and Edmund, hopped down off of the barrel, and made my way across the deck and up the stairs, to Caspian and Drinian. I greeted Caspian with a sudden hug, just wanting to be in his arms again. Any excuse really. He didn't seem to mind as he immediately hugged me back.

Not to seem majorly obvious, I broke the hug soon, much much sooner than I would have liked, but that's the price you pay. I looked at the map that Caspian and Drinian held between them. "So, where're we sailing to?" I asked, mainly asking Caspian.

"Well..." Just as Caspian started to explain to me, Drinian clapped Caspian on the arm, and then left us. He headed down the stairs, and started to walk around the deck slowly with his hands head behind his back, most likely making sure that everything was okay down on the deck. "...as we don't know what is east of the Lone Islands, we're just taking a chance and going to see what we can find. We're currently heading directly eastern from the Lone Islands, hoping to find some sort of land soon. We need to find these Lords and citizens, or at least traces or clues from them, as soon as possible if we have any hope of finding them. And we also need to stock up on as much food and water as we can find, because we don't know when we'll next have the chance."

"Wow. So, just straight eastern then, huh?" I laughed, looking down at the blank map east of the Lone Islands.

"Pretty much." He laughed back.

"It's a little scary. Not knowing what's beyond. But, it's also thrilling. I've very much missed being on an adventure."

"Well," He paused slightly. "I've very much missed being with you."

I looked up at him, and saw that his face was not two inches from mine. He was looking deep into my eyes, and I smiled up at him, feeling my heart tug happily, and my stomach suddenly filled up with butterflies. I then unexpectedly felt a tear run down my cheek, and the smile disappeared from his face.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked, concerned, and gripping my elbow as I stepped back slightly. I quickly wiped the tear from my cheek, nodding.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm absolutely fine." I said back, truly meaning it. "I'm just gonna go...umm...I'm gonna go and sit on the bow of the, of the ship for a...for a minute or so."

"Are you sure you're okay?" He repeated, his eyes glistening in the sunlight.

I nodded once again. "Yeah. Just, really happy." I made a move to go, but I then turned back round, held onto his upper arm and gave him a long kiss on the cheek, closing my eyes as I did so. I could feel the tears gathering up. I broke away, smiled again at Caspian, and then left, heading down the stairs and across the ship. That comment had meant more to me than anything.

Once I was at the bow, I took a seat on one of the giant horns of the dragon's head. It was surprisingly comfortable to sit on. As I wrapped my arms loosely around my bent knees, I looked ahead, but all I could see what pure blue ocean. Although it was a beautiful sight, I did want to see more parts of Narnia. I found myself wanting to learn about everything in this wonderful and magnificent land. Everything that Caspian ruled over. Everything about Caspian's life, and what it had been like for the past three years. Whether he had been as miserable as me. But I very much doubt that, as he had a whole country to run, so he was able to be distracted.

I thought about the comment that Caspian had made to me. Just that little tiny comment meant the whole world to me. It confirmed to me that he did miss me very much during these past three years. I breathed out heavily as I thought about how happy I was in Narnia. I just want to stay here forever. I know that I could be happy here. I would be so content to live here, with Caspian. The things we could achieve together, and how happy we would be to be together for eternity.

But, I didn't allow myself to go into too much detail about how happy I would be to live here, because sooner or later, I have to return to England. I just have to. I couldn't help but think that I wouldn't be allowed to stay here. I don't know what made me think about that, but I did. It made the smile disappear from my face. I know that I would be so unhappy once I got back to England. Not being able to be with Caspian was the unhappiest thought I could ever think of. That, and losing my family of course.

I knew that this was my last time in Narnia. Aslan said that Peter and Susan couldn't come back here because they've learnt every thing they can from this world, and being the same age as them, I knew that I would learn everything that I could after this trip. I rested my chin on my knees, and found myself shivering from the cold. It had either suddenly gotten windier, or I couldn't bear the thought of leaving Narnia again, knowing that I wouldn't come back afterwards.

I then found that a cloak was being placed over my shoulders, and I looked up to see Drinian smiling down at me. I smiled back, and gripped both sides with one of my hands.

"Thank you." I said.

"You're welcome, Miss." He replied, as he leant against the other horn of the dragon. I found myself studying him, as I hadn't really before. He was a kind and caring looking person. That was the initial impression that I got. He was around an age of about forty or fifty I would guess, and had the stern build of a Captain.

"You have a very beautiful ship." I said, trying to not let silence get the better of us if he was taking time to sit with me.

"Thank you. She's the greatest ship in Narnia's Navy. Built right after His Majesty rebuild and refurbished the Palace at Cair Paravel. The same one that once belonged to your siblings, the Kings and Queens of the Golden Age."

My eyes widened a little. I was rather shocked to learn of this information. "Oh my gosh, really? I can't believe that Caspian hasn't said anything to me, or Lucy or Edmund." I found myself smiling. "That's incredible. Lucy and Edmund should be informed of that. They'd be delighted to hear that Caspian is living at Cair Paravel."

"I'm sure they will learn soon enough, much like you just have."

"So, did you know Caspian before he came to Cair Paravel?" I was interested to know about Caspian's history.

"As a matter of fact, I did. It was very shortly after Their Majesties and yourself left Narnia that His Majesty and I became good friends. We did know each other before, and I have known him all my life. I was close friends with his father, King Caspian IX. I also was, and still am, in the Royal Counsel. King Caspian X turned to me for guidance, as I was once in the Royal Counsel for King Caspian IX, and afterwards King Miraz. I helped His Majesty in his confidence as King, and now we see each other as family," He leaned in and said more quietly, "...although I do have to remember that he still is the King and therefore have to address him as such..." I laughed lightly and he leaned back, smiling. "A few weeks after you left, King Caspian decided that he didn't want to live in Miraz' castle anymore, as he didn't want the memory of his uncle hanging through the air, and also didn't want to everyday see the spot where you had to say your goodbyes. And so, he decided to rebuild the castle from the Golden Age at Cair Paravel. Within a few months, everything was in order. Many, many Narnians helped with the building of the castle and the surrounding area, and now, Cair Paravel has once again expanded to become the biggest city in all of Narnia. Everyone lives happily there among each other; Humans, Dryads, Talking Beasts, Fauns, Minotaurs, Dwarfs, Giants, and the many other creatures of Narnia."

I was smiling so happily that I could have burst right there and then. I glanced back at Caspian, and saw that he was talking to Edmund. "I wonder why he didn't mention it sooner..."

"If I had to make a guess, I would say that he was being modest, and didn't want to seem as though he was bragging about all the things he has achieved in just three years."

"I think it's amazing. He sounds like a truly amazing King. But then, I always knew that he would be." I said, smiling back at Drinian.

"That he is." Drinian agreed with me.

I wanted to know so much more about Caspian and his life. But, I really didn't want to seem as desperate as I was to learn about him. Although, I knew that if I did come across as eager, Drinian would never mention it. He didn't seem like that sort of person, and by the sounds of it, he was a man of honour.

"Drinian...if I ask you something, will you not judge me?" I asked him softly.

"Judging is not something that I do, Miss Alexandra. Especially about such a wonderful person as you." He made me go red a little; I could tell that he was a charmer.

"Thank you." I said, and then let out a breath, and asked him. "I can't help but wonder, if there is anyone else...that Caspian has his...eyes on, back in his Kingdom...One that could potentially be his Queen..." Okay, so it wasn't really a question. Just a general statement that had been going round and round in my head for the past few days.

Drinian stepped forward and put his hand on my shoulder, much like a father would do to his daughter. "I can very much assure you, that there isn't. And I hope I'm not stepping out of line by saying this, but the only lady Caspian has his eyes on, is sitting right in front of me."

Nothing could describe how I was feeling at that moment. I wanted to jump up and hug Drinian for saying those words. I wanted to smile so big that I would not be able to stop. I wanted to run to Caspian and kiss him with all the passion I felt inside of me.

Instead, I settled for the most modest. I placed my hand on Drinian's, and smiled up at him, trying to stop my eyes from glistening with the happiest tears that had ever surfaced. "Thank you. You have no idea how much those words mean to me, Drinian."

He smiled back at me and squeezed my shoulder a little. "I enjoyed talking with you, Miss Alexandra. But, I'm afraid that I have to get back to maintaining the crew, and the ship."

I nodded, and stood up. "I enjoyed it also. And, thank you for the cloak."

"You're most welcome."

We both headed back down to the deck, and while Drinian headed back over to the wheel of the ship, I went over to re-take my seat next to Lucy. Edmund and Caspian were nowhere in sight, so I assumed that they were below deck.

"Wow. If it's possible, you look even happier than you did yesterday!" Lucy said, putting her arm around my shoulders and giving me a sideways hug. I grinned. I really was truly happy at this moment, and I don't think anything could lower my mood.


	18. Chapter 18

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Eighteen~*~At Last~***

After I had taken my seat beside Lucy once again, there was no longer peace on the deck. Just as Lucy and I started to sew some holes and patches up on a few shirts, I heard a crash over on the other side of the deck. I stopped what I was doing and looked over, squinting against the sunlight. What I saw was Eustace running out of the cabin, equipped with a culinary knife in his hands. My gut feeling told me to panic as to why Eustace was holding a knife, but panic turned into confusion when I saw the expression on Eustace's face. He was the one who looked panicked. I turned and looked at Lucy, who was also wearing a confused expression.

Looking back at Eustace, I noticed how much havoc he was causing around the deck; running into people, knocking things over, people having to duck as he waved the knife around unconsciously. He did look rather sorry though, something very unusual for Eustace Clarence Scrubb. Reepicheep then appeared out of the cabin, ran along the ship's edge, and then swung around on a rope to land on top of a barrel in front of Eustace, whilst saying, "Trying to run away? We're on a boat you know." He was pointing his sword at Eustace.

"This should be interesting." I mumbled to Lucy, leaning back a little so that she could hear me.

Eustace looked terribly panicked and vulnerable at this moment, and I had to stifle a laugh. "Look, can't we just discuss this?"

Something must have happened downstairs between these two, most likely Reepicheep catching him doing something bad, which knowing Eustace wouldn't be unlikely.

Reepicheep then struck with his sword, ripping a bit of Eustace's shirt. "That was for stealing," He plunged his sword into the gap, and then retrieved it, and it had an orange on the end of it. "That was for lying, and that..." He then hit Eustace around the face with the orange (which was still on the end of the sword) "...was for good measure."

By this point, the majority of the crew had gotten distracted from their work, and were all watching Reepicheep and Eustace, eager to now what was going to happen next. I can say the same for Lucy and I.

Eustace then looked down at the knife in his hand, and I saw that his hand was shaking. From the expression on his face, I would say that it's from anger. He then took a swing at Reepicheep, but being the inexperienced swordsman that he is, he didn't aim very well and missed completely. He looked annoyed. Reepicheep on the other hand, was looking delighted.

"Aha! Splendid!" Reepicheep then flipped over Eustace and landed on another barrel behind him. "We have ourselves a duel! Catch!" He then whipped his sword to his right, and the orange came flying off, at which Drinian caught it with ease.

Reepicheep and Eustace were facing each other, both with their swords (well, sword and knife) raised.

"Come on. Take your best shot." Reepicheep said to Eustace. He hesitated, but then made a swing, which Reepicheep easily dodged. Eustace keep swinging, but Reepicheep was too fast and too skilled for him. They travelled a little around one side of the ship. Reepicheep wasn't impressed though.

"Stop flapping your wings like a drunken pelican!" Lucy and I laughed softly, and the crew were also looking amused. By now, every member had abandoned their work, and were watching Eustace and Reepicheep with eager eyes. Drinian also seemed to be enjoying the duel, as he wasn't ordering everyone to get back to work.

"Keep your blade up! Up, up! That's it." Reepicheep advised Eustace. They then started moving again, with Eustace making all the swings. Reepicheep was just dodging the attacks, whilst jumping off of Eustace's back at various points to try to confuse him. And it was working.

"Yoo-hoo! Over here!" Reepicheep called from behind Eustace. Reepicheep then resulted to teaching Eustace how to fight. Such as, he was telling him when to move each foot, by describing it as a dance. Eustace was actually responding quite well; he was listening to every piece of advise that Reep was throwing at him, and he was also looking down at his feet to try to move as Reepicheep had instructed. Eustace was also getting praised for his efforts.

At that moment, Eustace swung his sword, and Reepicheep fell over the edge of the ship. Eustace ran to the edge and was looking over, but I then saw Reepicheep appear on the rope ladder above Eustace's head. When Reep's tail tapped Eustace on the shoulder and he turned round, Reepicheep swung and kicked him in the upper back, making Eustace fall forward. He knocked a barrel over, while Reepicheep exclaimed, "And that, is that!"

I expected Eustace to be defeated. However, I did not expect to hear a scream emit from inside the barrel. Lucy and I stood up, and saw that a little girl was crawling out of the barrel. It was the same girl that had been on the Lone Islands, whose mother had been sacrificed to the mist, and whose father now joined us on board.

"Look." Lucy said, calling the crew's attention to the little girl.

"Gael?" Rhince was obviously shocked that his daughter was also on the ship. "What're you doing here?" Gael stood up, not saying anything. I don't think she knew what to say as everyone was looking at her. "Come here." Rhince went over and put his arm around her. I then saw that Drinian was making his way over to them. From the look on his face, he didn't look very pleased. I really hope that he wouldn't say that she couldn't come along with us. Thankfully, he didn't say this.

"Looks like we have an extra crew member." He leaned down and held out the orange for her, at which she took gently.

"Welcome aboard." Lucy said, standing in front of her and smiling.

"Your Majesty." Gael replied, curtsying.

"Call me Lucy. Come on." Lucy put her arm around Gael and led her down into the cabin. I smiled at the closing cabin doors. I then turned to Rhince.

"Don't worry. Lucy will take good care of her. She has that inbred motherly instinct."

He smiled. "I don't doubt it. Thank you." He then did a head bow.

"Come on, look lively. Back to work." Drinian commanded, and the crew immediately got back on with their work.

I smiled and walked back across the deck, taking a seat on the stairs. I sat to the side of course as not to block the way for anyone.

Caspian and Edmund then came out of the cabin doors, and a smile was instantly on my face. I hardly noticed that I was doing it anymore.

"Hey, Alex." Edmund greeted me, seating himself on a barrel near the stairs.

"Hey guys." I greeted the both of them.

"Alex." Caspian greeted me, with a smile and a nod. My smile grew.

"Oh, um, that little girl from the Lone Islands. Gael?" They thought for a moment, and then nodded. "She's here on the ship. She must have gotten to the ship before us. She was hiding in one of the barrels. Lucy's just taken her into the cabin."

Caspian leaned back and looked through the door's window, but Lucy and Gael were already gone.

"That shouldn't be a problem. It's probably better for her to be with her father."

I nodded, and just as I was about to respond, we heard, "Land ahoy!" being called from above. Edmund and I stood up to try to get a better look of the land. Caspian headed up the stairs to get an even better look.

We didn't have to wait long at all to stumble upon another stretch of land.

"Looks uninhabited." Caspian told us, whilst peering through a telescope at the island we had come across. It was dusk now, and we were up on the upper deck, deciding what to do. Well, I was more leaning against the barrier, looking out at the island and the sunset. I was vaguely listening to the conversation between Caspian, Edmund, and Drinian, but I was more interested in the sunset. This was my favourite time of day. "But if the Lords followed the mist east, they would've stopped here." There was a brief pause. "Here, Alex, do you want to have a look?" I turned and saw that Caspian was offering me the telescope. I stood back up to my fully height and took the telescope with a smile.

"Thanks." I put the telescope to my eye, and had a look. Caspian was right, it did look uninhabited. All I could see was a beach and then trees.

"Could be a trap." Drinian offered.

"Or it could hold some answers." Edmund added. "Caspian?"

I closed up the telescope and handed it to Drinian.

"We'll spend the night on shore. Scour the island in the morning."

"Ay, Your Majesty." Drinian responded.

Caspian put his hand on my upper back and gently pushed me to go with him down the stairs and below deck.

"What do you think could be on that island?" I asked Caspian, as we reached his cabin. "If it's anything like last time, I don't know if I want to sleep there."

"It looks as though no one lives there. It's pure forest and woodland." Caspian tried to reassure me, but he noticed that I wasn't convinced. He stepped closer to me. "If you'd feel more comfortable, you can always stay on the ship. Some of the crew have to stay on here anyway."

I shook my head. "No. To be honest, I'd rather stay with you." I told him, looking into his eyes and not afraid to hide my feelings. He also smiled and ran his thumb across my cheek, much like he had done when we were trapped in the cell. It was a really nice feeling, and I found myself closing my eyes at his touch. But of course, everything has to be spoiled or interrupted, because the cabin doors then opened, and Caspian's hand flew from my face.

"I'm glad I finished cleaning the rubble off that sword." Caspian and I tried to look like nothing was going on. I really wasn't fond of Edmund at this point. "Looks like I finally have the chance to use it."

Well, the moments over. "I'm gonna go and inform Lucy of our change in direction."

I was laying on the beach of the island, trying to get to sleep. I was laying near Gael and Lucy, who were both fast asleep, as were the rest of the crew, including Drinian and Caspian. The moon was hanging high in the sky at this moment, making everything have a soft blue glow. It was too cold either. Actually, it was rather warm considering it was night time and we were right by the ocean. I sighed deeply. Me not getting any sleep does tend to happen often in Narnia, but it usually happens the first night I'm here. Why tonight? I was never going to know the answer.

I looked around, and from what I could see from my position on the ground, everyone else was definitely asleep. I really wish that I could have someone to talk to. That would be nice. Just to have a bit of company. I debated waking someone up, but I thought, if I were in their position, I wouldn't want to be woken up just to be kept awake all night. And so, I heaved myself up and stretched. I had been laying on the ground for a good few hours, and so a little stretch was needed.

I loved the sound of the waves crashing softly against the shore, and it soothed me, bringing a smile to myself. There's one thing that I've always wanted to do, and never been given the chance. I decided to make it happen. I took off my boots, and rolled my trouser legs to mid-thigh. It was lovely to expose my legs to the surprisingly warm air. It was a lovely feeling. I had found a spare shirt on the ship, and had sewn the sides in, making the shirt fit me more femininely. I no longer felt as though I was wearing men's clothes, even though I was.

I stood up, and walked gently across the sand to the waves. It was ever so slightly windy, but it was a pleasant feeling. I stood for a moment, and just looked at the moon's glow on the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful. It made me smile. Narnia was so much more beautiful than back in England. Narnia seemed so much more in touch with nature, and the elements, something which I enjoyed very much.

I stepped forward, and starting to walk slowly along the shore, the water at ankle deep. Instead of the cold ocean that I had landed in a few days prior, it was warm. I had waited a long time to do this. I've wanted to feel the ocean and sand combination beneath my feet during the night for a long time now. It was an amazing feeling; it made me feel so free.

Unexpectedly, three butterflies then fluttered in front of my face. They were of pure white colour, and it was as though they were dancing through the sky. I'd been told that if you saw three butterflies together, it was supposed to bring you good luck. But how far can you believe these things? They then fluttered off towards the direction of the rest of the island. This encouraged me to look at the island in more detail. All I saw was a grass patch, and then trees. No lights anywhere. Caspian must have been right in saying that it's unlikely that no one lives here, but anything's possible in this world.

As I turned back to the shore, a presence invaded my view, making me flinch in surprise. I then put my hand to my forehead and laughed lightly in relief.

"Caspian. Don't do that, you scared me." I said, looking up at him, trying to get my breath even again.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He said, but he had a grin on his face.

"Yeah right." I replied, pushing him lightly in the chest in a teasing way. "I didn't think anyone else was awake."

"Me neither. I was just looking up at the stars, when I saw you walk over here. Thought I would join, if you don't mind." He said, the moon making half of his face have a blue glow. If it's possible, it made him look even more handsome. I couldn't look away.

"Of course I don't mind. You're welcome anytime." This time, I was the one to put my hand on his cheek, his stubble contracting with the softness of his skin. "I missed you." I whispered, looking up into his eyes, seeing them looking right back into mine.

"I missed you." He replied, whilst I moved my hand from his cheek to his chest. He put his hands lovingly onto both sides of my face, and then he kissed me. I responded the moment his lips came into contact with mine, resting both of my hands on his chest, and eagerly kissing him back. This kiss was different to the one we had shared three years ago. It was much more passionate, and eager. We poured all of our feelings into the kiss, his hands making their way into my hair. Our tongues danced together as we held onto each other tighter. Just as his hands moved to my waist, we broke the kiss, resting our foreheads against each other. Our breathing was faster than it normally was, and I know that all I wanted to do was to kiss him again.

"I've been wanting to do that since the moment that I saw you in the water." Caspian told me, wrapping his arms tighter around my waist and pulling me closer to him, if that was even possible.

"I've been wanting you to do that." I replied, looking back up at him, with the biggest smile on my face. I once again felt tears brew up in my eyes. Honestly, I was starting to hate it. Caspian leaned forward and kissed my tears away, making me close my eyes and lean in to his loving kisses.

"The only reason...I've waited so long, "He said between kisses, "...is because I wasn't sure...whether it was what you wanted."

I pulled back slightly, making him look at me. "How could you think that?" I asked, still talking quietly as I didn't want to wake anyone else up.

"Okay that wasn't entirely true." I looked at him harder, motioning for him to tell me the truth. "I, um. I wasn't sure if it was going to make it harder for you. If you have to leave again."

I nodded, understanding. "I thought that too. Then I realized, if I have to leave again, I want to be able to spend every moment with you, before my time is up. But, I know that I don't want to have a repeat of the past three years, miserable without you."

He moved forward and held my waist again. "Let's not think about that. Let's just think about now. We're together, and no one can break us apart. The years have tried, but they were unsuccessful. We can beat whatever is thrown our way now. All I know, is that I wanna be with you."

I leaned up and wrapped my arms around his waist, looking into his face. "I want to be with you too."

He smiled, and then leaned forward to kiss me again. This time, it was a softer kiss, but just as passionate. I know that this is where I want to be; In Narnia, and in his arms. This is where I belong. I never want to leave.

We spent the next hour or so walking along the shore together, hand-in-hand, occasionally sneaking a kiss, but just generally enjoying each other's company. It was the perfect evening, and the perfect setting for our situation. It was as though we had been together for years because we were just so comfortable with each other. We were able to laugh together, and not hide anything. This was what we both wanted. To finally be able to really be with each other. Be ourselves. We'd been hiding our true feelings towards one another up until now, that we both felt a sense of relief and freedom. I was happy.

At last.


	19. Chapter 19

_Hey guys! Thank you all for being so patient! This was probably the longest space in between parts so far, and the reason for that is because I have my A Level exams (which basically get me into University) coming up very soon and so I've been revising heavily for them. But, I did sooo much revision today that I thought you all deserve to be able to read another chapter! There's probably going to be a lot of gaps like this for the next month or so because I'm back at school. But I leave school for good in 4 weeks time and then I have study leave, so even though I'll be revising for exams (which happen in June) I won't want to revise 24/7 so they'll be chapters popping up then :) Hope you guys like this chapter! To me, this was one of the more boring ones to write, but I thought that I would get it out of the way because the following chapter is going to be much better and exciting! Please review :D Until next time, bye!_

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Nineteen~*~The Magician's Island~***

When I woke up, it was still dark. The stars were still hanging in the sky and the moon was continuing to cast a blue glow upon the ocean and the island. I'm glad I had unrolled my trouser legs and put my boots back on last night before I went to sleep because I could feel more of a breeze then I could a few hours ago.

I blinked a few times, to try to get my eyes to wake up more. My eyes felt very over tired, and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. But from the looks of it, I'm going to have a repeat of the very first night I was in Narnia. I couldn't sleep at all, because of the scale and intensity of what situation I was in. I was in a strange land, full of strange creatures, in the middle of a war. This time, it was a little different. I think my not being able to sleep had to do with a certain man that was still sleeping beside me.

I turned my head to look at Caspian, and smiled at what I saw. He was still asleep, and was snoring very lightly. The sound made me smile even more. His lips were curved into a slight smile, and he looked so peaceful. It was heaven to my eyes.

Without waking Caspian up, I sat up bring my head off of Caspian's arm. He stirred lightly at the distraction, but didn't wake. Instead, he adjusted his position, and then carried on sleeping. I took a look around, but I didn't see any disturbance within the ground. To be honest, all I could hear was one person snoring really loudly, and I had a feeling I knew who it was. I stood up and looked towards where Eustace was sleeping, and yep, sure enough my hunch was right. Eustace was the one snoring loudly. It made me laugh. I then looked over towards Lucy, with the smile still evident on my face, but not for long.

Lucy was gone. Her books, sword, and cloak were still there, but she herself was gone. I then looked around the group more urgently. Maybe she had moved because she wasn't comfortable, but I can't imagine that she would move and leave her things and Gale on her own. I couldn't see her in any other place amongst the group. I don't think there was any reason to panic, because Lucy is the exploring type. Hence her entering Narnia through a wardrobe, and she didn't exactly turn around and run when she realized that there was a forest in that particular wardrobe.

Well anyway, as I walked over to Lucy's things, I saw something which I definitely didn't expect to see; huge human footprints. My eyes widened a little, and then I spun round to see how many of those giant footprints I could see. They led off further into the island. Realisation then set in. Lucy must have been taken by these things. Oh God, what do I do?

I turned around to look at Caspian, took a few steps forward so that I was once again by his side, but I then stopped. I looked over everyone sleeping, and then looked over towards where the footprints were heading. I then took a deep breath, and instead of shaking Caspian awake, I grabbed my sheath belt and wrapped it round me. I then sheathed one sword, and held the other in my dominant hand. I then proceeded to follow the footprints, wherever they may lead.

I honestly had no idea what possessed me to follow the large footprints further into a dark island where there has been no sign that any other person has been, but I did. I felt it was my obligation to go and find my sister. Even though there was a very capable army behind me that would definitely be the more safer option in order to find Lucy, but I felt that I had to prove myself in being able to do things for myself. Girls just don't get enough credit when it comes to a lot of things. I mean, women only got equal voting rights to men in 1928, which was only sixteen years ago. There's still many sexual discrimination acts aimed at women, but I think is just not right. We should all be equal. And so, how come a male warrior can explore land, but a female can't?

I shook my head and focused. If I stayed in that mindset, I could go on for hours about it. But, I need to focus on finding my sister. The footprints soon disappeared when I got off of the beach, as I had reached the grass. There was a somewhat path leading ahead, and I figured that it was the best route to take. I started moving forward in a more stealthier manner, as not to be seen by anything that could be lurking in the trees or behind any objects that I pass.

As I travelled further, probably for about five or so minutes, I heard faint talking up ahead. I ducked behind a bush, and peeked over, to see Lucy standing in one of the more wide open spaces. She was just standing there, talking with a rather harsh manner to thin air "Well, I wouldn't be much use to you dead now, would I!"

...What was going on?

I came out from my hiding place, losing the stealthy stance, and letting my arm hang loosely by my side.

"Lucy? Who're you talking to?" I asked, still approaching her. She then turned to me, with a rather frantic look on her face.

"Alex! Watch out, they're all around-"

I then felt myself grabbed from behind, and something held across my throat. I immediately tensed up and tried to pry away from my invisible attacker, but they were too strong. I couldn't figure out what they had held against my throat, but it wasn't a knife or a sword. In the commotion, I had dropped my sword, which now lay useless on the ground. Lucy made a break towards me, but an invisible force pushed her backwards heavily, and she landed on the ground. She seemed uninjured though as she got straight back up, but she didn't try to run over here again, knowing that the same thing would just happen again.

"Alright, then we'll just kill your friend!" The voice was at all threatening to me, as I had heard worse. I knew they were referring to me, but something told me that they weren't actually going to harm me, as the attacker who had gotten hold of me, wasn't exactly using excessive force to hold me anymore. The object had disappeared from my neck, and they were just firmly holding my upper arms and shoulders.

"What do you want from me?" Lucy asked them, looking distressed.

"You will enter the house of the Oppressor." Came a voice somewhere to my right. Lucy was then shoved further away from me, as though she was being pushed towards the house. Except, there was no house in front of her...

"What house?" Lucy asked with a sigh.

"This one." A pair of double doors then opened in front of Lucy, and bright orange light poured out of it. The double doors revealed a staircase, which must have been rather long because from where I was situated, I couldn't see any sign of the top of the staircase. The glow from inside was contrasting with the night where we were all standing. It was unbelieving that a door could just open right there in front of you to reveal a whole new room, but then again, Aslan did fashion a door out of a huge oak tree as a gateway from Narnia to England, so I don't know why this astonished me too. "Upstairs, you'll find the book of incantations. Recite the spell that makes the unseen seen."

"Very well put."

They were starting to have a conversation among themselves.

"Lucy." I said, but I made no move to go over to her as I know that I'll just be pulled back. "You don't know what's in there."

She was peering around the sides of the doors, probably trying to find some sort of explanation or clue as to how this was happening. "I have to go in there. Otherwise they're gonna kill you."

"There's a chance that you'll get killed in there." I told her, trying to play the grown up. But I wasn't equipped for that sort of thing yet.

"Well, go on. We haven't got all day." A voice said.

"Remember what'll happen to your friend." They grabbed my tighter and pushed me forward a little bit. I gritted my teeth.

"Why don't you do it yourselves?" Lucy asked, bravely.

They hesitated for a moment. "We can't read."

"Can't write either, as a matter of fact."

These creatures were starting to present themselves as not very smart ones. I knew that they had some physical human attributes as one of them was holding me with it's hands, and from the shape that I could feel, they matched a human's hand.

"Why didn't you just say so?" Lucy said, and then turned to face the staircase.

"Beware the Oppressor."

"He's very oppressive."

Yeah, they definitely don't seem that smart now.

"What makes the unseen seen. Got it?"

"Don't forget."

I saw Lucy take a deep breath, and then she walked forward.

"Lucy!" I shouted, just as the doors were starting to close.

"You would have done it for me, Alex." She said, and then the doors were fully closed, and all signs of light were gone.

"Lucy! Lucy!" I shouted louder, struggling against the creature that now had an arm stretched to hold me around my shoulders and neck. I then grabbed that arm and used all my weight to throw him forward, emitting a cry as I did so. Once I was free, I then turned and grabbed my sword, turning back to face the invisible beasts, my sword raised. "Open the door! Get the door back open!" I demanded.

"Look hear you! Just put the sword down. Nothing can help your friend now."

"She's not my friend, she is my sister! Now do as I say!" I shouted back, getting angry, and rather frankly scared for Lucy.

My sword was then thrown out of my hands, and I grabbed my other sword that was still sheathed, but as soon as I retrieved it, it had the fate of my other sword. As I lunged to grab them, I was hit around the face with what seemed like a door knob, but it must have been a round end of a stick or something. I flew backwards, and landed face down in the grass. I coughed a little bit, and slowly turned around, so that I was now facing the invisible creatures. I wiped my lip with the back of my hand, and found blood smeared across my hand.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked, a little anger, but finally accepting that I wasn't going to defeat these creatures if they were invisible. And they weren't making any moves to hit me again that I could hear, and so I stayed seated.

"You left us no choice. We're not letting you in that house, so you may as well just stay down."

"What do you expect me to do? You're not exactly going to let me go anywhere."

"You're right, we're not. Not until your friend or sister or whatever she is recites the spell."

I didn't bother with a reply. I was too angry and frustrated to talk. I rubbed off the blood from my hand onto my sleeve, and then made sure the sleeve was hanging over my hand and put pressure onto the cut on my lip, trying to slow the bleeding.

At this point, I really did feel like a prisoner, and even though I was surrounded by at least five of these creatures, I felt so alone. It was still dark, even though there were hints of sunrise towards the beach. At least it wasn't windy though; the trees and hedges situated around us were blocking the wind coming in from the shore.

"What're you doing on this island?" One of them asked me.

"We're travelling to find some people that were lost."

"Just you and your friend or sister or whatever?"

I contemplated. Should I tell them that there's near enough an army still on the beach

"And a few others."

"And where're they?"

I shrugged. "Not quite sure." I secretly hoped that they were awake and were on their way to find Lucy and I. "So what sort of creatures are you?"

"We're large and terrifying beasts!"

"If you could see us, you would feel really intimidated."

I had to cover up my slight laugh. They did think highly of themselves. And who knows, they could well be telling the truth.

For the next fifteen or so minutes, I just sat there. And none of us said a word. Nothing happened at all around us, no sign of Lucy, no sign of the others. But at least I wasn't being hit around again. My swords were still on the ground were they had been knocked out of my hands, and I didn't dare make a move for them, as I knew what would be the outcome.

Just at that moment, I heard voices from my right. It was Caspian and the crew. I just knew it. I slowly edged closer to where the doors had been, moving away from the voices. I wanted the invisible creatures to forget that I was there, and just to focus on what was coming. I bit my lip and I moved subtly. I don't think they noticed my edging.

"Quick! I hear voices! Scatter!" I heard movement, and I then hid on the other side of one of the small bushes that were surrounding the area. I was on my feet in a crouching position; I wanted to be able to move as quickly as possible if necessary.

Just then, I saw Caspian and the crew emerge from round one of the bigger bushes. They all had their swords raised.

"Caspian, Lucy's dagger!" Edmund bent down to pick it up. As I was making a move to stand up and warn them, spears suddenly fell all around them. My eyes widened. They had come from nowhere! Thankfully, the spears didn't hit anyone, and they all immediately turned to face in my direction, in the direction that the spears were thrown from.

"Stop right there, or perish!" Said one of the creatures. Caspian's sword was knocked out of his grip and he was hit around the face, making him fall to the ground.

"Caspian!" I shouted, and made a run for him. I didn't think he could hear me over all the commotion, or see me for that matter, as he didn't respond to me. No matter my attempts to get to him, I was, once again, pushed backwards. I hit the ground not as hard as last time, but it still hurt. Various members of the crew, including Edmund, were also getting hit. That wasn't going to stop me though.

"What sort of creatures are you?" Caspian asked, as he stood back onto his feet.

I jumped up and sprinted towards them. I must have run into one of the creatures because I hit something as I ran, but thankfully it was only into the side and I managed to slip through.

"Alex!" Caspian said, almost shocked that I was suddenly there. I ran towards him. He put his arm around me, not in a hug, but in a way to block me from the creatures, protecting me. I held onto his back and arm as I stood close behind him. I still looked around his arm, at least keeping the invisible creatures sort of in sight. As in, I knew sort of where they were situated.

"We're big ones. With the head of a tiger and the body of a..."

"...different tiger."

Here they were again, showing just how intelligent they are. I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling.

"Are you alright, Alex?" Edmund asked me, clasping my arm. I nodded at him. "Lucy?" He asked, and just as I was about to respond, one of the creatures interrupted me.

"You don't want to mess with us."

"Or what?" Edmund said.

"Or...Or I'll claw you to death!"

The creatures were then suddenly becoming visible, and I finally got to see what creatures they really were. They weren't beasts at all. They were dwarf-like creatures, with one large foot on the end of a very small leg. What made them appear so tall was that one of the dwarfs was balancing on the shoulders of two others. This was the case for several of them. They were no taller than any of us.

"I'll run my tusks right through you!"

"I'll gnash you with my teeth!"

"And I'll bite you with my fangs!"

Everyone relaxed their stances, including Caspian as he took down his arm and I went to stand next to him rather than behind him. I couldn't help but laugh a little at the creatures. I wasn't the only one who was doing so. A lot of the crew were finding much amusement out of these creatures.

"You mean squash us...with your fat bellies?" Edmund said, his expression full of amusement.

"Fat bellies?" The creatures lost their "terrifying" expressions, and were now confused and looked a little hurt.

"Tickle us with your toes?" Caspian added in.

One of the creatures standing on the shoulders of the others then fell forward, causing him and the two others to fall flat on their faces. I laughed, and walked through the crew members and around a bush to retrieve my swords while the crew were having a laugh.

But Edmund then got serious. "What've you done with my sister, you little pip-squeak?"

Edmund was pointing his sword at one of the creatures.

"Now, calm down." It replied back to him, but Edmund wasn't tolerating him.

"Where is she?"

"You better tell him."

"...In the mansion." It replied timidly.

"What mansion?" Edmund said, looking ahead. As if on cue, the mansion then started to became visible, just like the creatures had done. It was huge, and magnificent, covered over with ivy. "Oh, that mansion." Edmund said, and lowered his sword.

"You know, I'm really getting tired of you all leaving me behind-" We turned our heads to see that Eustace had stopped in his tracks when he had caught sight of the creatures. "This place just gets weirder and weirder!"

"Weird?"

"You calling us weird?" The creatures weren't happy, but they weren't about to attack Eustace with a whole crew aimed with swords standing around them.

Out of nowhere, the creatures then all started to go mad. They were jumping around shouting, "Professor! It's the professor."

I turned back to face the mansion, with a really confused look on my face. Realisation once again set in. Lucy was walking towards us, unharmed, and she was accompanied by an older looking man, wearing long robes and had a long beard.

"Lucy!" Edmund and I said together. Caspian, Edmund, and I approached Lucy and the Professor. He gave a small bow.

"Your Majesties..."

"Caspian, Alex, and Edmund." Lucy said, looking at us individually. "This is Coriakin. It's his island." We all gave a head bow to show our respect.

"That's what he thinks. You have robbed us, Magician." One of the creatures said. Coriakin walked towards them, and the creatures are started to jump back from him as he got closer and closer.

As they had their little conversation, Caspian lowered his head to my height and whispered, "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" His hand was resting on my upper arm, and his thumb was moving back and forth in a soothing manner. I guess the cut on my lip wasn't as bad as I thought if Caspian didn't say anything about it.

"I'm okay. It was a little scary for a while, but they didn't harm me...that much. Just a few blows to the face, no big deal."

Caspian gritted his teeth, and I could tell he was angry that someone had hit me. "As long as you're okay now?"

"I am. Promise." I wanted to lean forward and kiss him. I knew he wanted to do the same as his eyes kept darting down to my lips, but we both knew that this wasn't the place. We separated into a more friendly distance when Coriakin returned over to us.

"Your Majesties, if you would follow me please."

Once deep inside the mansion, a conversation started about important information.

"What did you mean when you said that you mad e them invisible for their own good?" Lucy asked, as she walked side-by-side with the Professor. Caspian, Edmund, Drinian, and I were walking behind them, Caspian and I obviously side-by-side.

"It seemed the easiest way to protect them..." Coriakin replied. "...from the evil."

That word was becoming more and more popular as our travels continued, and I'm not sure that I was liking the sound of it.

"You mean the mist?" Edmund asked.

Coriakin stood to the side to let us enter the room first. "I mean what lies behind the mist." Caspian stopped briefly, and you could see that he was getting nervous, most likely because he is the one leading this expedition, which means that if something went wrong, it'll most likely be down to him.

We entered the room, and it was all dark, apart from a few dim lights dotted about, and the ceiling. It looked as though it was a mirror, with dancing blue and purple patterns on it. It reminded me of the sea, how it moved. I'm not sure what it was actually. Coriakin then retrieved a rolled-up scroll and stood at one end of the room. He then threw his arm forward, and the scroll unrolled itself and fell to the ground. A somewhat map-like diagram then appeared on the scroll, and it was as though it was coming out of the scroll. In fact, it was coming out of the scroll. The clouds and the light were. The map was of the sea.

"It's quite beautiful." We all turned to Eustace, shocked that he would describe anything as such. He was in awe of the map as he studied it over, but he then realized that everyone was looking at him. "I mean for a make believe map of a make believe world." I smiled. I knew it wouldn't last long.

"There is the source of your troubles." The picture within the map then moved itself, travelling across the sea, and then stopped, showing an island. "Dark Island. The place were evil lurks." Coriakin was now walking slowly over the map. He stopped at Edmund. "It can take any form. It can make your darkest dreams come true." He turned to the rest of us. "It seeks to corrupt all goodness. To steal the light from this world." I gently grabbed Caspian's hand. No one would see, the room was almost black. He squeezed it gently. We listened on.

"How do we stop it?" Lucy asked, looking eager.

Coriakin walked over to her. "You must break it's spell." He then turned again and pointed at Edmund's sword. "That sword you carry, there are six others."

"Have you seen them?" Edmund asked.

"Yes." Coriakin replied.

"The six lords." Caspian added. "They passed through here?"

"Indeed." The Professor replied.

"Where're they headed?"

"Where I sent them." Coriakin retreated off of the map as it moved swiftly across more ocean. "To break the spell, you must follow the blue star to Ramandu's Island." A tiny blue ball of light was hovering over another island on the map. "There the seven swords must be laid at Aslan's table. Only then can the true magical power be released." Caspian made a glance back to Drinian. "But beware, you are all about to be tested."

"Tested?" I asked. He came over and looked at me.

"Until you lay down the seventh sword, evil has the upper hand. It will do everything in it's power to tempt you." Oh my God...this doesn't sound easy at all. Temptation was one of the worse things to anyone. He leaned in closer to me, looking me in the eye. "Be strong." He then moved backwards and walked across the map slowly. "Don't fall into temptation. To defeat the darkness out there, you must defeat the darkness inside yourself."

I looked up at Caspian, and saw that he looked a little scared at this. How were we to know what the darkness was inside ourselves? To my recollection, it hadn't been shown in me. But, I was probably too tired and too afraid now to think about it.

We bid thank you and farewell to Coriakin, and he showed us to the door of the mansion. We crossed back over the island, with none of us really saying a word, only the other members of the crew who had been waiting outside for us. We climbed into the long boats, and we soon back on the Dawn Treader, about ready to head out further into the unknown, to find these swords. And most importantly, Ramandu's Island and Dark Island. But, I don't think any of us really knew what we were heading into.


	20. Chapter 20

_Hey everyone! Thank you again for being so patient! I hate having so much revision to do, it really does suck. But thankfully, spending hours a day trying to improve in my Literature class has paid off as I have improved by a whole grade in a matter of a few weeks :D So, I now have a motivation to do a lot of revision, as well as write a lot of this story! I have also come up with another story idea, which I will start once this story is finished, but don't worry, that will be a while yet! I have gotten most of the rest of the story planned, including some unexpected things that are going to be popping up very soon! I hope you all enjoy this part :) And please review :D_

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty~*~Onward To The East~***

Once back at the ship, the atmosphere had changed. I wasn't really sure what it was, or whether it was happy or sad. Most likely a mixture. I felt determination that we finally had a lead on where to go towards the East, so that was within the happy genre. On the sad, or fearful part as it should be known, I think it was to with the fact that Coriakin had said that we were all about to be tested. None of us knew what this meant, but we all had a sense that it was something to do with the evil that was waiting for us. It made me feel uneasy, scared, almost curious. We would all get through this. We were a strong army, and we had been through worse, particularly Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy. The last time we were here, I had gotten a taste of what real danger was like, but it felt much different this time. It was as though we were on our own, individually. We had to defeat the darkness within ourselves, as Coriakin had put it. No one could help us with that; we had to fight it with our own minds and hearts.

We immediately set sail, with Caspian and Edmund standing on the upper deck with Drinian, all starring down at a map. Lucy and I, on the other hand, had decided to go and try to catch a few more hours' sleep, as we had lost much sleep with being almost 'kidnapped' by what I found out were called the Dufflepuds. What strange creatures they were.

I found the chaise in Caspian's cabin to be as comfortable as his bed, therefore I slept very well. I had given up my side of his bed in order for Gael to be able to sleep close to someone. She was only eleven, and I thought it would be more comfortable for her. She had insisted on sleeping on the chaise, which I thought was very grown up for an eleven year old, but I insisted harder. She eventually took it with a thank you and a little bow. I told her that it wasn't necessary to bow for me, something that Lucy had said when Gael had bowed to her yesterday.

Waking up a few hours later was very refreshing. I needed that three hour boost of energy. I put my hand over my eyes, rubbing them a little to wake up faster. I then sat up and yawned, whilst stretching my arms above my head. Once relaxed, I looked over and saw that Lucy was still sleeping. I wasn't going to wake her, it's not like we had to be anywhere right now.

I pulled back the covers, and tip-toed across the golden lighted wooden floor, Caspian's shirt hanging low past my thighs. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and saw how messy my hair was. I frowned. I flipped my hair forward and bent over, running my hands through my hair and trying to tame it by adding a bit of volume to my hair. I flipped back up, and re-looked at my hair. It was somewhat better. It looked more like a stylishly messy now, which was better than nothing. It was very curly this morning, which was the one thing I loved. My hair always decided to be wavy, which I didn't like. Curly is good.

I gave a satisfied smile to my reflection and turned towards the window, looking out and having to squint because of the brightness of the sun. The heat warmed my face, and I closed my eyes, tilting my face up towards the sun. This type of weather was a rarity in England. The highest you could hope for was mid twenties (degrees Celsius) , but that wasn't very often. This heat felt like the thirties or forties. I loved it. I could easily get used to this.

"Alex?" Lucy pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned to smile at her. "What're you doing?" She was sitting up in bed, and stretching her arms out in front of her.

"Just enjoying the heat. It's really warm today."

"It looks it. It's going to be a whole day up on deck I think."

"I would agree with you, but I've just noticed some clouds to the south. That's strange why it's so warm."

Lucy joined me on the window seat in searching the sky for signs of weather change.

"You're right. That's a shame." She stood up and headed over to the chest of drawers. "It seems as though we should go and make the most of the hot weather. And from the position of the sun in the sky, I'd imagine that lunchtime is approaching."

We both got changed, deciding that some form of shorts would probably be the ideal clothing. We could always change into trousers and boots later on in the day if necessary. We were soon changed, and we headed out onto the deck, to be greeted with the more direct heat. Everyone was hard at work, except Edmund, who was sitting on the ledge of the ship's edge, holding a goblet of liquid.

"Morning girls. Or should I say, afternoon?" He smirked at us, in that famous Edmund teasing way.

"We needed that sleep." I said, giving him a light nudge with my elbow.

"Well you're just in time for lunch." He said.

"Do you know where Eustace is?" Lucy asked him, looking around the deck to catch a sight of him.

"No idea. And I don't really care either." Edmund replied, before taking a sip from his goblet.

Lucy faced him. "You can't still be thinking negatively about him? He's probably still in shock from everything."

"Lucy, it's been four days since we arrived. Surely he should've pulled his neck by now."

"I bumped into him in the hallway yesterday, and he was having a huge rant about still not believing in this place. I mean, you heard him this morning when we were with Coriakin, saying that the map was beautiful, but of a 'make-believe world' so he put it."

Lucy didn't have a reply to this. I do admire her for seeing the good in everyone, but sometimes she has to accept that some people are just too stubborn to believe in things that they don't want to. Eustace was definitely one of these people.

"Did your naps help you regain your energy, ladies?"

Caspian had joined our little gathering. I smiled up at him in greeting, but finding that I had to look away back to Lucy as the sun was blinding me. I felt his hand rub my back gently in greeting. A tingling feeling shot up the length of my spine and spun my head slightly. Just a simple touch like that could do so much to me.

"Yes thank you, Caspian." Lucy said, smiling at him.

"Good. We'll need to get as much sleep as we can. I feel that we may be awake a lot more over the rest of our journey."

"Must keep on full alert." Edmund finished where Caspian was heading.

"Exactly." Caspian said, with a smile. He then turned to me and put his hand on my arm. "Can I talk to you for a bit please?"

Oh crap. I knew this was coming.

"Um, yeah sure. Excuse us." I said to Lucy and Edmund. Caspian motioned for me to go first, and we headed towards the lower deck. My heart was pounding so loudly that I could feel it throughout my body. Why did I have a bad feeling about this? I shouldn't have a bad feeling because nothing bad has happened.

We reached his main cabin, and he shut the door once we were in there. I walked across the room, afraid to turn around. I noticed that I was fiddling with my fingers in front of me, something that I do unconsciously when I'm nervous about something.

"Alex." I turned at the sound of my name. Caspian was slowly walking towards me, and once he reached me, he placed his hands on top of mine to stop my nervous fiddling. "What's wrong?"

I looked up into his eyes, and saw concern. "Aren't you going to say something bad to me?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would you think that?"

"That was the impression I got when you asked to talk to me. That's usually what it means."

He then broke out into a grin. "You worry too much."

His grin had made me smile. "I know I do. A regular tendency of mine. I'm working on it." I replied, gripping his hands as he had mine. "Okay, so what did you wanna talk to me about then?" I asked, bringing my head back slightly so that I could once again look at him in the face.

He shrugged. "I didn't have a topic in mind. I just wanted to spend some time with you is all."

He really knew what to say to make me feel special. I stepped forward and leaned up, kissing him softly on the mouth. I couldn't contain my happiness, resulting in smiling into the kiss. I pulled away, but still stayed close to him.

"And you know, that wouldn't bother me at all in being one of the topics."

I grinned and pulled back, playfully pushing him in the chest, at which he laughed. "Shut up." I said, laughing myself. He walked closer to me and captured me in a tight hug, at which I of course returned. I loved spending these little moments with him. It meant the world to me, to know that we were finally on the same page and could just act so comfortably around each other.

He let go of me and grabbed my hand instead, leading me over to the window seat, at which we each took our seat on. "But in all seriousness," He said, now holding my hand in both of his. "Am I right in saying that we're both thinking the same thing; that we're going to keep our newly formed...romance, secret from everyone else. I mean, is that what you want?" He had a very serious look on his face, and I knew that this was no time to joke, or to lie. I thought about my answer for a moment, and then it would be best to tell him exactly what was going on in my mind.

But, I didn't get a chance to tell him what was on my mind, as there was a knock at the door.

"Your Majesty?" Came Drinian's voice, and I quickly pulled my hand from Caspian's, even though it pained me to do so.

"Yes, Drinian?" Caspian said, and I could hear the element of annoyance in his voice, but he couldn't stay frustrated at being interrupted for too long as he had a duty to do.

Drinian entered the room, but stood near the door.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, my Lady, but we're getting some peculiar weather signals from up ahead. You might want to come and have a look for yourself."

"I'll be right there, Drinian, thank you."

Drinian left the room and Caspian stood up. "Sorry about this."

I stood up next to him and we started to walk across the room. "No, it's okay. You're the King so you're busy all the time. Besides, I'll go and sit with Edmund and Lucy."

"We'll get a chance to continue our talk soon." He planted a kiss to my temple, just before he made his way up the stairs and out onto the deck. I lingered back for a few seconds, as I was grinning like an idiot.

After composing myself, I climbed the stairs and stepped out onto the deck. The heat hit me more violently than last time. It had gotten much hotter in that ten minutes that we were below deck. Looking up at the sky, I saw that by the position of the sun, it was just coming up for one o'clock, so the sun was still really high up in the sky.

I held my hand out over my forehead, so that I cast a shadow across my eyes, allowing me to locate Lucy and Edmund. They were still in the same spot as before. I headed over.

"Hey again." I said, taking a seat on the edge of the ship.

"Hey yourself. What did Caspian want you for?" Edmund asked.

"He didn't actually get to tell me because Drinian needed to talk to him about the upcoming weather conditions."

"Oh yeah. We think there's going to be a storm soon. It's been ridiculously hot for days, and there's a group of dark clouds up ahead." I held onto Edmund's shoulder and leaned back slightly, looking around the ship's front to see the ugly group of clouds.

"I think you're right. Just when I was really getting into the hot weather." I said, letting go of Edmund's shoulder as I leaned forward again.

"This might be the time to ask you then, Alex." Lucy said.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"I was wondering if you would give me another lesson on fighting tactics. I'm still not very skilled, and with a storm coming up, we may not have the opportunity to practise much longer. But only if you're up for it..."

"No, no, of course! Yeah, I'd be happy to give you a lesson. Let me just go and grab my weapons." I hopped off the ledge, and went back inside to quickly grab mine and Lucy's weapons from Caspian's room. I returned not long after, and we got to work.

Despite the heat, Lucy and I had trained for the better part of three hours, with short breaks every now and then, including a lunch break. She was really determined to be able to wield a sword like an experienced warrior, and there was no reason as to why she couldn't. She did exceptionally well, but she claimed that it was because she had the genetics, and that she'd seen us all in action many times. I argued that it was because she was very talented. Edmund was also on the sidelines, offering advice and joining in sometimes. He was definitely the more experienced out of all three of us. We could have trained for a couple more hours after that, but we thought that we better not over work ourselves and wear ourselves out if we had evil approaching.

The evening overcame fast, and we found ourselves getting rather tired. Lucy, Gael, and I turned in quite early, even though Lucy and I had caught a few hours' sleep that morning. I think Rhince wanted Gael to get early nights, and Lucy and I were exhausted from our hard workout during the afternoon. We were glad to finally be able to get to bed for a good eight hours. I was going to enjoy this night.

"Alex." Someone was whispering to me. "Alex. Hey, Alex, wake up." I turned over on the chaise towards the voice. It was hard to see, as it was very dark, and my eyes aren't that quick at adjusting out of a deep sleep. "I'm sorry to wake you." Caspian was talking softly to me, as he brushed the back of his hand across my cheek.

"That's okay." I whispered back, wondering why he was waking me up in the middle of the night.

"There's something I wanna show you." He said, smiling at my sleepy form. I nodded, and yawned behind my hand. I pulled myself up with great effect, and swung my legs over the side and stood up, with some help from Caspian. Just as I was rubbing my eyes, I then realized that I was only in Caspian's long shirt and my underwear. My eyes were suddenly wide. I felt my cheeks heat up with rapid speed, and I couldn't look Caspian in the eye because I was so embarrassed. But, that didn't stay for long, as Caspian wrapped a long robe around me. It reached right down to the floor, and had massive sleeves. It was very cosy.

When he was sure that the cloak was around me, he asked in a whisper, "Are you too tired to walk?"

"I think I can manage." I replied with the same quiet tone. He took my hand and led me out of the cabin, down the hallway, and up the stairs into the open. It wasn't much colder than the day had been. I'm not sure whether this cloak was necessary for heating purposes, but I think it should stay on because otherwise I'll be walking around exposing all my legs. There were no crew members around, so I'm assuming that everything was okay on the ship and nothing needed monitoring. Only unless Caspian had offered to be on night duty or something.

He led me up onto the upper level of the deck at the front of the deck, where he took a seat on the floor, leaning back against the northern end of the ship. I sat down beside him. I pulled my knees up to my body, but didn't hug them. I was pretty content with holding Caspian's hand still.

"Oh, wow, look at the sky!" I said, gazing up at the sky in pure amazement.

"That's what I wanted to show you. I thought you'd like to see it." Caspian said, as he looked up at the sky also.

"It's beautiful." At this point, we hadn't reached the group of clouds that were currently behind us from mine and Caspian's position on the deck, and so the whole of the sky was exposed. The stars were just magnificent. They shined much brighter here than they did back in England. There were also many more stars shining here. "I've taken a huge liking to the stars recently."

"Why recently?" Caspian asked.

I stayed looking at the stars as I explained to him. "When I returned to England three years ago, I felt as though my trip to Narnia had been a dream. A dream of a dream. I didn't want it to get so far into a dream state that I stopped thinking it was real. And so I turned to the stars. I knew that they would be shining over Narnia too. It was the only thing that I could find that was linking us together." I felt him squeeze my hand. "When Edmund, Lucy, and I moved into Eustace's house because our parents had gone to America, which is another country, in the room Lucy and I were staying in, there was a picture on the wall. It was of this ship at sea. We immediately noticed how Narnian is was, and that also helped me to remember."

Caspian leaned forward, coming to be level with me. I looked down from the stars at him, smiling at our closeness. He let go of my hand and ran it through my hair. "You don't have to worry anymore about remembering Narnia. You're here, and we're finally together. Nothing can do anything to change that now. I won't let them." I lent my forehead against his, and then smiled wider when he leaned up to kiss my forehead. I moved my head down to rest on his shoulder, as he continued to stroke my hair. "And back to our conversation earlier, what do you want to do about us? Keep it secret?" Caspian asked.

The smile disappeared from my face as reality set in. "Yeah, keep it to ourselves for now. We don't want to complicate things further."

I felt him nod, and we remained like this, just being together. Except that I was no longer feeling happiness. Why did everything have to be so complicated now that Caspian and I were finally happy? Reality was that I had to return to England and be with my family. I couldn't sacrifice them just for my happiness...could I?


	21. Chapter 21

_Hey everyone! First of all, I want to give my biggest apologizes to you all! I'm sorry that it's been three weeks since I last updated this story, but everything has just been so crazy that I haven't actually found the time to write the part until today. I've finished school, but I still have exams and revision to do. I will have more free time to write this story, but the updates will most likely have big gaps between them for the next month and a half. I apologize again :( But I'm glad I found the time to give you this part :) I hope you guys all enjoy it and that it was worth the wait. Please review :D_

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty One~*~The Change In Weather~***

I woke up a lot earlier the next day, at least I thought it was earlier than usual from the darkness of the room. Maybe I woke up because the ship was being thrown about on the waves; the storm had finally hit us. I hoped last night that the storm would be heading in the same direction as us and therefore we would never be in the midst of it, but it's very hard to wish for things to come true. And so, we were now on the edge of the storm, and boy was it heavy and violent already.

I sat up in bed, quite tense as I tried to steady myself on the chaise, hoping that I wouldn't fall onto the floor if we hit a rather rough patch in the ocean. But, as I haven't fallen out of bed while I was sleeping, chances are that I won't be falling out while conscious.

"I really hope that this storm passes over soon." I heard Lucy say, and saw that her and Gael were sitting on the window seat across the room, both looking out at the storm.

I got up and headed over to them, sitting on the seat beside Lucy. I looked out of the window and saw just how dark it was.

"From the looks of the clouds, it's not very likely any time soon."

"It's so unfortunate. I was really enjoying the hot weather." She replied, whilst leaning her head on her hand, with a sulky pout tugging at her lips.

"You and me both." I answered. I then looked over at Gael and saw just how quiet she was. "Hey, are you guys hungry?" Gael looked at me and nodded shyly. I smiled at her. I then turned to address Lucy.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" I asked.

"Umm...I can't tell because the sky is completely covered, but I would make a guess of about six, maybe seven."

"Great, I only got three hours' sleep." I mumbled to myself.

"Why were you up until three in the morning? What were you doing?" Lucy asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

I wasn't going to tell her about Caspian. We agreed last night that we weren't going to tell anyone, but I don't know how long I can hold it in from Lucy and Edmund. They probably know from the body language already. "Oh, I umm, I just couldn't sleep, is all. Just one of those nights, I guess."

From the look on her face, I knew that she knew I was lying. I couldn't look her in the eye. I really felt guilty, but I don't want Lucy or Edmund to assume that just because Caspian and I are, well whatever we are, it doesn't mean that I'm going to stay in Narnia with him. I don't even know if he wants me to stay with him-

"Alex?"

"What?" I asked, dazed.

"You just blanked out. Are you feeling okay?" Lucy asked, rubbing me on the shoulder comfortingly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. So, breakfast anyone?"

Lucy, Gael, and I had spent the entire day in the same place – Caspian's cabin. The storm had gotten so bad that Caspian had basically forbidden us girls to go out onto the deck as the force of the waves crashing against all sides of the ship were constantly sending the crew members off balance. It had been raining so heavily all day, and the sky was showing no signs of stopping the rain any time soon. It had gotten much, much colder over the course of the hours, but there was no hope in keeping any candles alight as they would just fall over from the violent rocking of the ship. I'm glad that Caspian had forbidden us to go up on deck because I wouldn't want Lucy, or Gael, to go up there; it's much too dangerous for them. However, two things were bugging me. One, I didn't like the fact that Edmund was up on deck right now. I know that he is seventeen and is physically and mentally capable of keeping himself safe up there, but he is still my brother and I don't want anything to happen to him. The second thing, was that I wasn't allowed to help. I think I would be able to help, but I have my suspicions that Caspian is being a little bit too protective right now. I know he's doing it to keep me safe, but I just feel so helpless sitting down here. I've been wondering all day whether there is anything that I can do to help, but so far, nothing has come to mind. To be honest, I didn't really like Caspian being up there, but of course he can handle it all; he wasn't made the King of Narnia for nothing.

I sighed, feeling a little bit frustrated. I was sitting on the chair at Caspian desk, with my feet resting on the chair also. Of course I was bare-foot as I wanted to respect his furniture; I bet it cost a lot of money. Come to think of it, when I studying the golden carving of Aslan over on the wall in front of me, I think that it's made out of real gold. It scares me a little at just how much money Caspian actually has. Queen Elizabeth isn't the richest person on earth just because she is the Queen. However, Caspian does seem to be one of the richest people in Narnia, but then, I've only seen this ship so far. I haven't seen Narnia yet, but I hope to seen. At least before I leave...

I immediately got up and walked slowly over to one side of the cabin towards a tapestry, refusing to think about leaving Narnia. I've thought about it too much already and I don't know how much more pain I can take.

The tapestry was absolutely beautiful. It was a painting of a battle. The figures were small, but not small enough so that you couldn't differentiate them from each other. Two separate armies were charging towards each other from each side of the painting. The one of the right looked larger than the one on the left. But the army to the left seemed like the good guys, I don't know why I thought that, but something about the knight on the pure-white unicorn leading the charge told me that they were fighting for the good side.

"That's Peter."

I jumped a little as I didn't hear Lucy come up and stand next to me. I soon recovered. I looked back at the tapestry and studied the figure on the unicorn closer. "That's our Peter?"

Lucy smiled and nodded as I looked at her. "That's the Battle of Beruna Ford. Peter lead the charge against the White Witch." She was talking softly, with a hint of a smile and comfort in her voice. "Aslan had sacrificed himself at this point, and Peter and Edmund had no choice but to go to war."

I smiled at the tapestry. "They're both very brave warriors. I don't think I could imagine being in Peter's position; knowing that the King of the Land was dead, and it was up to you, when you're barely sixteen years old, to lead an army into a battle against a much stronger force." I gently touched the tapestry, running my fingers over Peter's figure, smiling once again, and feeling my heart tug. "It's been so long."

Lucy put her hand on my shoulder furthest from her, and then leant her head against my other shoulder. I pulled my hand back from the tapestry and grabbed her hand, that was resting on my shoulder, tightly.

"At least it will be a shorter wait for him." Lucy said, and I nodded. I turned to look at her, and she was biting her lip, and had tears rushing down her face. Lucy never handled being apart from Peter and Susan well, and I think she was feeling it more now because this was the first time she was in Narnia without her brother and sister. I turned and wrapped my arms around her. She mirrored my actions. It was the best source of comfort that I could offer her at the moment. I didn't want to say that 'We'll see them soon' because I didn't know when will be the next time we see them, because even if we go back to England over the next few weeks, Peter and Susan may now return from America and Professor Kirke's house for months.

It was the next day, and it was the same situation once again. We were cooped up in this same cabin, with the same surroundings to try to distract ourselves with. Last night had been awful because it really wasn't easy to get to sleep when you're being majorly rocked about in the bed, or in my case the smaller chaise, and all you could hear was the violent crashing of the waves and the rain pounding against the windows. I think I had managed to grab a few hours' sleep though, so I guess that's better than nothing. And it's not like I really need much energy when all I'm doing is sitting around all day trying to amuse myself, and Lucy and Gael.

I had no idea where Eustace was still; he had only shown his face once yesterday, and that was just to get some food for dinner. I think he must have found somewhere in the ship where no one will both him so that he can rant to himself about how much he doesn't want to be here.

Back in the cabin, we had got some form of entertainment this morning as Caspian had sent Edmund off-duty as he had been working all night. After Edmund changed into some dry clothes, he came and sat with us in Caspian's cabin. We insisted that he should get some sleep as he had been on deck all day yesterday and all night without any sleep, but he said that he felt fine and didn't need any sleep. Lucy and I knew not to press the matter further as all he would do was argue his point and get his own way – a regular occurrence with Edmund. He'll probably suffer from sleep deprivation later anyways. However, I'm glad he did stay and sit with us, because like I said, he provided us with some entertainment. He is generally a very funny person, and he is always the one in the family to say all the jokes, and to cheer us all up even if we're in the most depressed of moods. I don't know what it is, because he used to be a jerk (especially to Lucy as she was younger than him) but he seems to have a natural ability to make people laugh. And so, we were sat in a circle on the floor, with him telling jokes, and then telling funny stories from our childhood. I think Gael was really enjoying herself because she was laughing a lot, and telling funny stories of her own and about her parents; I think this was good for her because it distracted her from worrying about where her mum was at this moment.

Later on in the afternoon, I decided that I would try to offer my help. I excused myself from Edmund, Lucy, and Gael, and headed out of the door and up the stairs to the deck. I opened the door, but it slammed right back, making me almost fall down the stairs if I hadn't gotten a good grip on handle. I composed myself, and shoved my shoulder into the door, making it bang open fast. I stepped out, and the door then slammed closed once again, and so thankfully I had quickly jumped out of the way.

Up on deck, it was absolute madness. The ship felt as though it was rocking much more violently up here, and I had to hold onto the wall for support. I was getting sprayed by the gushes of wind carrying the rain all around the boat. I was still under a slight cover from the upper deck, and so I hadn't experienced the full force of the rain yet. I'm not sure that I wanted to either as I saw the state that the rest of the crew were in; they were absolutely drenched. And that's a massive understatement. Their clothes were completely plastered to their bodies, and their faces and hands were constantly dripping with water. It was also freezing up here, and I was shivering so much already. The crew members must be completely numb from the rain and the cold.

I pushed myself off of the wall, and headed out into the rain, giving a slight screech when the rain and cold hit me like a brick wall. I can't begin to tell you just how cold it was. The best way I can is to say that it felt as though someone had locked you in a freezer and then had poured freezing cold water onto you. But this was probably worse because you also had to watch your balance and also maintain a ship.

The sky was thundering at us, and I instinctively ducked when the sky and ship lit up from the crash of lightning, and the sound of thunder rolled all around us. I was deathly afraid of thunder storms, and all I wanted to do was to run back in doors, but I felt so helpless and selfish sitting downstairs enjoying Edmund's jokes in the warmth when all of these guys were suffering.

I felt one of the crew members help me to stand back up again, and he didn't let go of me. "Miss Alexandra, what're you doing out here? It's too dangerous for a lady like yourself!" He shouted at me, as it was the only decibel that would allow us to hear each other because of the noise of everything around us.

"I just need to find Caspian!" I shouted back, gripping his sleeve tightly, as the ship was hit with yet another strong wave.

"He's over the other side of the ship! But, please Miss, I'd feel much happier if you were to go back inside!"

"I can't, this is important! But thank you!"

I let go of him and he allowed me to make my way towards Caspian. I grabbed onto the main mast to steady myself, as I scoured urgently round for Caspian. I caught sight of him on the port side of the ship, helping a crew member to attach some ropes to the edge of the ship. I pushed off the mast and ran over to him, careful not to lose my balance.

"Caspian!" I yelled, and he turned round to look at me. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, shouts were emitting across the ship and Caspian I looked to the side, and a huge wave had risen high above the ship, ready to crash down onto us.

"Move!" I heard Caspian yell, and the next thing I knew, was that someone had crashed into me, sending me falling face-first to the ground, and someone sprawled out over my back. I then felt the crash of the water rattle the entire ship, and I gasped loudly when it hit me. After I finished coughing frantically, I looked up and saw that Caspian had secured us to the floor whilst holding onto a rope, making sure that the wave hadn't carried us after with it.

Caspian jumped up quickly, and helped me up, not letting go of me. He was almost carrying me as he rushed us across the other side of the side, back to the doors to the lower decks. He stopped outside the doors and held me tight.

"What're you doing out here? I told you that it's not safe for you here." He wasn't angry at me, he actually looked quite scared.

"I'm sorry, but I can't see why I can't help in some way. I feel so selfish sitting down there doing nothing." I said, my fingers woven in his dripping wet hair.

"I can't have you up here. It's way too dangerous."

"Is it really? Or are you just being over protective?" I said, looking him straight in the eye. The ship then rocked suddenly once again, and I crashed into his chest as he was pushed backwards. We soon composed ourselves and he pushed me towards the door, but I wouldn't let him open it. "Are you?" I repeated, wanting an answer.

He looked me back in the eye, and replied, "I can't handle you getting hurt. I just can't." Caspian had completely revealed his vulnerability to me at that moment, and I saw his true feelings take shape. I couldn't help myself. I stretched up on my toes, and kissed him firmly on the mouth, wrapping my arms around his neck as he snaked one of his arms around my waist, whilst holding onto the door frame with the other. I didn't pull away for several seconds, as this was the most I had seen him in two days, and I wasn't liking it at all.

He rested his forehead against mine, and cupped my cheek with his free hand. "Please just, stay with your sister below deck. I want you to be safe." I nodded against him. If it was going to cause him worry and pain with me being out here, the best thing I guess I can do is sit below deck as I was.

"Okay." I whispered, not knowing if he could hear me or not. "Just be careful. For both yours and my benefit." I squeezed his hand gently as it slipped from my face. I turned and opened the door with less difficulty than before, and heard it shut behind me.

I really missed him. It was hard being away from him for just a day, with the space between us only being about twenty or thirty metres. Just another reminder presented to me that I was in no way going to be able to handle going back to England, knowing that we would probably never see each other again.


	22. Chapter 22

_Hey you guys! First of all, I just want to apologize for the hugely long break between this part and the one before. I have been crazed with revision and my A Level exams, and therefore I didn't have any time for anything else really! However, I am now free! I have finished all my exams, and now have 2 and a half months to focus on my art and my stories :) But thank you to you all who've stuck by me and this story, and who will continue to read on :) Anyway, I really hope that you enjoy this part! It's a more in depth part than previous parts have been, so I hope that it's a turning point in the story :D_

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty Two~*~Nightmares~***

We had been in this storm for the good part of fourteen days now, and we had all turned miserable. The atmosphere was horrible, and we felt that we hadn't moved from this spot in the ocean for the past two weeks. The sea was still just as rough as it had been when the storm came upon us, and I had forgotten what the sky looked like and what warmth felt like.

Lucy, Gael, and I had been cooped up in the same place for these past two weeks. We had ran out of things to talk about, and so silence was in the air the majority of the time. The only time that one of us would say something was when we would read something interesting, or confusing, or fascinating, in the volumes of texts that we had been reading. It was the only thing that was keeping us occupied. Caspian's cabin was filled with many texts all about the history of Narnia, the different countries surrounding Narnia, different creatures, famous persons, famous battles...Basically anything that you could think about really. Which was particularly good for the three of us who had nothing to do as we still weren't allowed on deck. The only thing that we were allowed to do was to explore the ship, but we had covered every inch of the ship (apart from the deck of course) last week. Lucy and I did sometimes busy ourselves with washing clothes, mending clothes, sharpening swords, and making food for the crew. They were a nice change than just sitting in Caspian's cabin for the entirety of the day.

We had gone to try to encourage Eustace to come and sit with us in the cabin because we didn't want him to be on his own, but he still wouldn't move from his spot on the bottom level of the ship where he had claimed a window's ledge. He would say that we were wasting our time reading about the history of Narnia because it doesn't exist. I didn't have the energy to argue with him, and so I had just ignored him. At least he was occupying himself by writing in his notebook or diary for the better part of every day.

It was nearing the evening, and I was fully engrossed in a book that I had picked out from Caspian's collection. It was called "How Narnia Began". I thought that it was a strange, but intriguing title, and so I decided to have a read. It was explaining about the creation of Narnia, and what occurred. Aslan had created the land of Narnia by singing. He had first created stars, which joined him in singing to create the birth of Narnia. Creatures, both earth-like and magical, grass, trees, lakes, water, and everything needed to create a landscape grew from the earth. He then gave power to certain dumb beasts, as they were referred to, to form the council of highly intelligent talking beasts of Narnia.

What I was reading felt as though it was so real. No one knew how the earth was created. People had their views, theories, and opinions, but no one knew the actual truth. Yet here, in this volume of text, I could see how much more alive this land was compared to back on earth. I then studied the painting on the opposite page, and couldn't help but smile. Aslan was positioned on a rock, singing towards the sky, whilst creatures and plants were halfway out of the ground.

As I read on, I read about something unexpected. The Pevensie's hadn't been the first humans to step foot into Narnia.

"What're you reading, Alex?"

I looked up, and saw that Lucy had put her sewing to the side, and was looking at me, with a small smile on her face.

"Oh, just about the creation of Narnia." I returned, smiling back at her.

"I haven't gotten the chance to read up about the history of Narnia. I'm sure it's very fascinating to learn about."

I nodded. "Did you know that you weren't the first human to step foot into Narnia?" I asked her, not sure if she had been told this information.

She didn't reply straight away. "Even though I said that I haven't had the chance to read about the history of Narnia, I think I had read a little bit about the creation of Narnia, back when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and I were older in Narnia. But, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It's there, but I can't quite distinguish it. But, tell me."

"Well," I began, "it says in here that during the creation of Narnia, a little boy, a little girl, a cab-driver, a horse, Jadis (who was a sinister witch from the World of Charn), and the little boy's uncle were all present."

"Of course, I remember now! The horse was turned into a pegasus, and the little boy, Digory I think his name was, and the little girl...oh her name escapes me!...had to bring something back to Aslan." She bit her lip and her eyes were hard as she starred at the ground. I could tell that she was searching her brain for something. "It's so difficult to remember! But I think that was the story. And, if I remember correctly, the cab-driver and his wife were made the first King and Queen of Narnia."

"Your memory is better than you thought as all that information is in here. The little girl's name was Polly..."

"Yes, of course, I remember now!"

"...And the first King and Queen of Narnia were called...Frank I and Helen."

Lucy and I spent the rest of the evening reading up about the creation of Narnia, and having rather long, and big, discussions about it. It was so interesting that we didn't realise to what hour we had been talking. Gael had fallen asleep on the window seat, and Lucy and I could barely keep our eyes open. We decided to leave the volumes until tomorrow, and to retire to bed.

Why were they making me choose? I can't possibly make a decision like this! How can _they _expect me to choose between my family, and love? You're supposed to be able to have them both together. But no. I wasn't able to have that. I wasn't able to have both; it was one or the other. They were pushing me to decide, but I stayed silent. They were cornering me, physically and mentally, on the edge of the ship. I looked at Caspian, and then back to my siblings. Lucy had tears running down her face, and Susan was on the verge of tears also. Edmund and Peter, however, were starting to look angry. They were glaring at Caspian, with so much hate that I was struck with horror. I wanted to tell them to leave Caspian alone, but Caspian was mirroring their expressions. I hated this. Everything was wrong. But it soon got worse. They all turned to me, still with the exact same expressions plastered on their faces. It made me back further into the corner that they had pushed me into in the first place. With one last glare in my direction, they all turned and walked away from me, in two opposite directions. I wanted to run in both directions, but I knew that whatever way I ran, my heart would break, and other hearts would break. I buried my face in my hands, and crouched on the ground, wanting it all to disappear.

Just as I was about to let out a sob, I heard,

"Sweetie."

It was a voice that I'd never heard before, yet at the same time sounded so familiar. I removed my face from my hands and looked up, squinting into the bright sun that was blazing down on me. I stood up slowly, not once blinking, even in this brightness, because I didn't want the two people in front of me to disappear.

It was my parents. They were standing right in front of me, both smiling. It's been fourteen years since I've seen my parents, with a blind eye anyway. I had seen many pictures, but none of them can compare to this.

"Hi honey." My mother said, reaching out and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear lovingly. I couldn't find my voice to form words.

"We've returned to find you, and take you home." My father was grinning at me. I had gone completely numb, even though inside, my heart was pounding so heavily that I thought it was moving my entire body. "We've been set free."

"After fourteen years, we can finally reunite our family. It has been too long." Mother came and stood next to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "We're going back to England, so that we can all be a family once again."

Just as my mother and father started to gently pull me with them, I caught a glimpse of my siblings behind me. I turned and smiled at them, waving, but they didn't react. They all had blank looks on their faces as they starred at me. I opened my mouth to ask them what was wrong, but I didn't get the chance.

"Come on, honey. We have to get going. We've wasted too much time these past years."

"But, wait..." I said, as my parents were starting to forcefully pull me away from my siblings. I struggled against them, calling out for my siblings.

"You have to go with your parents now, Alex." Susan said, still with no expression on her face. It was like she didn't even care that I was being forced away from my life.

"You shouldn't return to us either." Peter added in, and that stopped my struggles. I was so hurt, and so shocked, that I no longer had the energy to fight against my parents.

"No, no, no..." I mumbled.

My siblings started to turn and walk away, none of them sad or upset that I would never see them again.

"No! Peter!" I started to yell, and found some energy to start up my struggling once more. I was scared. I was feeling nothing else but fear. But, my parents were too strong for me. I couldn't stop them from pulling me away. "Wait! You guys, no!"

I gasped loudly and bolted upright in bed, breathing heavily. It was still dark, and I was sweating so much. I thought I knew what it felt like to be in shock, but nothing I have felt before has ever compared to how I was feeling now. Why did I suddenly have a dream like that? What on earth possessed my mind to conjure up something like that? I looked around the room, frightful that I was going to see something that would scare me even more. It was all black, apart from the fire that was blazing by the wall at the end of the chaise. Lucy and Gael were still sleeping in the bed to my right. I let out a little breath, almost like a sigh of relief. I then shut my eyes again tight, trying to get the image of being separated from my siblings out of my head. That was the most fearful thing that I'd ever been presented with. Just the idea of it made my heart ache. But the dream...it was so vivid. It felt so real, as though it literately had just happened...

I took in a deep breath, and tried to slow my breathing. But just as I got it almost back to normal, Lucy bolted up in bed, and desperately called out, "Aslan!"

She made me jump, and my heart skipped a beat. She was breathing heavily also, and turned to look at me. Neither of us had to say anything to know what had just happened to the both of us. She managed to regain herself before I did and jumped out of bed, scrunching up a piece of paper firmly as she hurried over to the fire. She crouched down, and then threw the paper into the fire, after hesitating slightly. The fire then grew bigger instantly, and we both saw the face of Aslan embedded in the flames; he let out a mighty roar, and I felt it surge through me with power.

The fire soon returned to it's original state, but we still couldn't take our eyes off of it for a few seconds. Something must have happened to Lucy as well.

"Did you have a nightmare too?" Lucy asked me quietly, once we had recovered from the shock activity of the fire.

I nodded, and swallowed, trying to find my voice, much like I had to do in my dream. "Yes. The worst nightmare."

I didn't really want to elaborate and spill what had happened in my dream, as I felt that I didn't want to freak her out, especially now as she looked pretty horrified as it is. As Lucy didn't start to speak about her dream, I figured that she didn't want to talk about it, much like I didn't want to share mine. So I left it, and didn't plan on asking her until she wanted to talk about it.

"I don't think I can sleep now." Lucy told me, getting up and coming to sit next to me on the chaise. I agreed with her, and so I nodded once again.

"Shall we go and see Edmund and Caspian? I think they should be able to make us feel better. And it might make us feel a little bit safer."

She nodded, and so we both got up and left the room, after checking that Gael was still asleep. We slowly walked down the corridors, and the twists and turns on the lower decks, both of us freaked out that we were going to collide with or see something that would scare us even more. I think Lucy got rather scared because she stayed very close to me and grabbed my hand as we got lower and lower on the ship.

It felt ages before we managed to reach the very bottom deck, mainly because it was dark, and we were both fearful.

We walked silently around the beds of the crew, and spotted Caspian's and Edmund's hammocks in the same area. We headed over, but as we approached Edmund's bed, we noticed that he was awake, and had fear written all over his face, as he looked over the other side of the room. He suddenly pulled out his sword and pointed it towards where he was looking previously.

"Edmund." Lucy whispered, as we reached the side of his hammock. Edmund jumped from the shock of the noise, and closed his eyes, similar to what I had done to try and calm myself. He soon recovered and looked back to where he was pointing the sword, the fear appearing back in his eyes. He breathed out, and then lowered his sword.

"Alex, Lucy." He said, acknowledging us. He sighed in relief, but I could sense that he was still frightened of something.

Just as I opened my mouth to say something to him, Caspian jolted awake, in a similar fashion to how Lucy and I had done earlier. Caspian's expression was that of fear also. I let go of Lucy's hand, and made my way over to Caspian's hammock, wanting to make sure that he was okay, as much as he could be anyway.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked him, resting my hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He took a few seconds, but he eventually nodded.

"I think so."

"We-We can't sleep." Lucy said to Edmund, but also looking over to Caspian and I.

"Let me guess, bad dreams." Edmund stated. At this moment, I think we had all just about realised that it wasn't just happening to each of us alone, but to all of us, at the same time. We were being haunted by something that we couldn't explain. "So either we're all going mad, or something's playing with our minds."

I bit my lip, and looked back at Caspian. He had sat up in the hammock, as well as he could anyway, and wrapped an arm around my waist. I'm glad he did because I was starting to become a little fearful of my surroundings, mainly because it was dark, and gloomy down here, and rather wet. Well, the atmosphere felt wet anyway. Also, I didn't really care if Edmund and Lucy suspected something at this point. I wanted Caspian to make me feel safe, and he was doing a good job of it so far.

"Are you okay? You didn't have a dream aswell, did you?" He asked me, as I intertwined my fingers into his hair, trying to distract myself from the horror of my dream that was still haunting me.

"I had one. Probably the worst nightmare that I could've had." I said, smiling slightly, trying to convince him that I was alright, but I picked the wrong time to smile, considering the negative statement. However, no matter what I did to distract myself from the horror of the nightmare, the images just keep rushing back, and invading all my thoughts. What freaked me out the most was that how could I dream about something that is basically happening in reality? I know that people usually dream about things that have similarly happened to them, but there is always a strange and unrealistic twist to them in dreams. But mine...it was just so real. I know that eventually I'm going to have to choose between Caspian and my family, and I really have no idea how to even begin to make that kind of a decision. And with my parents being thrown into the dream, it made it much more strange, but at the same time, made it much more realistic. As idiotic as it sounds.

I felt small tears start to form in my eyes, most likely still from the shock and horror of it all. Caspian had also noticed these tears, as he reacted immediately.

"Hey, hey. It's all going to be fine. We're going to get through this." He told me softly. He then pulled me down onto him, so that I was sitting sideways on his lap, with my legs hanging over the side of the hammock. He wrapped his arms around me, and cradled me to him. It was really comforting, and just what I needed. "Between us all, we can beat whatever this thing is. I promise you."

Lucy and I stayed on the lower deck for the rest of the night. We didn't realise that it was almost time to get up anyway, but we hadn't noticed the time because the storm makes everything a lot darker, and so we feel as though we're always in night-time. None of us went back to sleep, but that was okay because none of us wanted to chance having more nightmares if we closed our eyes. And so, for the rest of the night hours, we just talked about things that took our minds off of the nightmares we had had, which was a hard thing to do, but we eventually managed it. Lucy and I were telling the guys all about the stories we had been reading the day before, and they both found it fascinating also. It was nice to be able to talk to them about light-hearted things in the middle of a hard and haunting time.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Hi everyone! First of all, MASSIVE apologies for not updating sooner than this! SO sorry for the year long break, but I have had my reasons with exams and first year of Uni etc. I will really try to regularly update this, but please don't be too disappointed if it's not as regular as you would like. But I really hope that this chapter makes up for the extremely long break. But remember one thing: I'm not going to give up on this story, I will finish it :) Enjoy!**_

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*~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty Three~*~Temptation on Dragon's Island~*

The storm was upon us for a few more days, before we eventually left the black clouds behind. The sun was exposed to us once again, and everyone's moods were starting to brighten up, now that the weather had returned to its Narnian sunshine. Lucy, Gael, and I spent a lot of time up on deck, because after being cooped up inside for over two weeks, we were starting to go a little bit insane. Even Eustace had come out of his usual hiding place to soak up some of the sun, which was a bit of a shock to us. He was actually being quite pleasant also. Well, he wasn't trying to pick an argument with Edmund at least.

Now that we could see more than a hundred feet in front of us, Drinian, Caspian, and Edmund spent a lot of the time on the upper level of the ship, each taking it in turns to look through the telescope to try to catch a glimpse of any land. I could tell that Caspian was starting to feel stressed and pressured into finding any kind of land as soon as possible as we were beginning to run dangerously low on rations; him and Edmund had limited themselves to what they will eat in order for Lucy, Gael, and I to not go hungry. We protested, but there was no budging them this time.

I was sitting with Lucy on the bow of the ship, each of us taking a horn to perch on. We were trying to help with sighting land, so we chose the front of the ship in order for us to have a good chance of seeing something rising above the horizon. I turned round to look at Caspian and Edmund, who were both on the upper deck by the wheel. They were having a deep discussion by the looks of it. I sighed.  
"Would it help if I go over there and try to reassure them?" I asked Lucy, who had a book open on her lap. She had resorted to trying to dig up any information about islands that are located east of the Lone Islands. No luck so far.  
She turned round also. "I think we've done it enough times now. It doesn't seem to be working. Besides, we're bound to find something soon." I looked forward towards the ocean. I think the stress emitting from the Kings were starting to have an effect on me; I didn't want my family and all these men to start suffering. Lucy noticed the pained expression on my face. "Aslan won't let it come to that. I know he won't."  
I ran my hand through my hair. "Lu, I'm not meaning to sound pessimistic and disheartening, but Aslan hasn't shown his face this entire time. What's to say that he's going to show up anytime soon?"  
Lucy took a while to reply. "He just has to."  
I gave her a small smile, but I had a feeling that she could tell that I wasn't convinced.

We continued to sail across the calm ocean for a further four days, and the weather was still amazingly hot. Lucy and I tried to forget about the problems that were creeping up on us as each day passed by soaking up the sun, and continuing to read up on what could lie beyond the Lone Islands. We were also repairing clothing and shoes when we would get through stacks of books at a time, and not finding anything.  
I was just about to give up on what felt like the hundredth book, when I heard,  
"Land ahoy!" All of the sailors, as well as Lucy and I, rushed to the edge of the ship, looking in the direction that Drinian had referred to.  
Out on the horizon, I saw an island rising high above the line, proving that we would find at least something on there. Lucy and I grinned at each other, knowing that things were starting to look up.

Caspian and Edmund tried to detect what kind of island it was, and whether people could be living on it. From what I could see through the telescope, when Lucy and I joined them on the top deck moments later, I saw that no human could possibly live on that island, as it looked volcanic. Nothing but ash and rock could survive on there.  
Once we had gotten as close to the island as possible on the Dawn Treader, Caspian chose some members of the crew to accompany him ashore.  
"Men, we'll scour the island and try to find as may resources as possible. Anything will do, if it will grant us even an extra day." Caspian was giving out orders, and once everyone understood, two boats were soon ready to take us to the shore. He then lowered his head to speak to Edmund, Lucy, and I. "I think weapon's might be in order. We can't take any chances." We retrieved our weapons, and then joined the crew members in the boats. While Caspian and Edmund were rowing, Lucy and I took our seats in front of them, and close behind us, Eustace scrambled into the boat too, not wanting to be left on board.  
"I doubt the lords stopped here, my liege. There's not sign of anything living." Reepicheep informed Caspian, from his position at the front of the other rowboat.  
"Right." Caspian replied, as he helped to row. "Well, once we get ashore, take your men and search for food and water. We need all we can find. The four of us will search for clues."  
"Hang on, you mean the five of us." Eustace interrupted. We all turned round to look at him as though he was joking. Caspian and Edmund had even briefly stopped rowing. Eustace saw the looks on our faces, and was prepared to argue. "Come on, please don't send me back to the rat."  
"I heard that." Reepicheep stated.  
Eustace looked down, and I thought I heard him mumble, "Big ears."  
Lucy and I looked at each other with amused expressions.  
"I heard that too."  
We all chuckled at Reep's comment, and Eustace folded his arms and sulked, something that he tends to do a lot. He's not one for being wrong at any time, and this trip is definitely getting the better of him.

Once we reached the shore, Caspian helped Lucy and I out of the boat, while the rest of the crew were unloading empty boxes to collect resources with. I walked a little bit further onto the island, looking around at as much as possible, trying to find any sign of where would be the best place to start exploring. Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy soon caught up with me.  
"Where's Eustace?" I said, looking behind them. They turned and looked also.  
"Probably just wandering off on his own." Edmund said. "He won't go far. Come on, let's go."  
Edmund led the way, with the three of us tagging close behind, on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary or possibly dangerous.  
"What're you expecting to find here?" I asked, as I watched my footing when walking around a steep drop in the rocks.  
"Any sign that the Lords had stopped here. Anything is better than nothing at this stage. The Lords would have stopped here." Caspian answered, making sure that Lucy and I had gotten around the rocks okay. Always the gentleman. I found myself smiling at him as we walked, but when we saw something promising up ahead, I snapped out of it to focus on the task at hand.  
"Look, we're not the first ones on this island." Caspian pointed out, as he stood by a large hole in the ground, peering into the darkness. We rushed over, and saw a rope tied to a nearby rock, and leading into the dark hole. I was starting to feel like I was a detective in some sort of crime. Come to think of it, I sort of am...  
"The Lords?" Edmund interrupted my thoughts.  
"Could be." Caspian answered, still trying to catch sight of anything in the hole. I lowered my head slightly and managed to see that the hole lead into a cave, or an underground cavern. Caspian then picked up a stone and dropped it in the hole, and echoes reached our ears as the stone crashed from rock to rock, until it hit the bottom. It didn't seem like it was too far down. "What do you think could be down there?"  
"We should go and find out." I replied to him.  
Edmund swung his leg over the rope and lowered himself down into the hole.  
"Careful." Lucy said, as Caspian followed Edmund.  
When I made sure that Caspian and Edmund were both on the ground, I signalled for Lucy to go before me. I followed soon after, and once both my feet were on the ground, I turned and saw what was a bigger cave than I anticipated. The place was full of rock pillars, leading from the ground to the ceiling, and casting shadows around the walls, adding to the eerie feeling of the cave. There were also a few puddles dotted here and there, but then I noticed Edmund and Caspian had found a much larger and deeper area of water. Something was glinting in the little light that was in the cave; a golden statue was in the water.  
"What's that?" Caspian asked, looking into the pool.  
"I don't know." Edmund was standing by the edge of the water, bending down to get a closer look. "Looks like some sort of gold statue." He went and pulled a thick branch from the wall, making some of the rock crumble. He had the smart idea of dipping the tip of the branch into the water, but when the end turned gold and spread up the branch, it wasn't such a great idea, as he let go with exclamation, and the branch sank to the bottom of the water.  
Lucy, Caspian, and I all exchanged alarmed looks, not expecting the result of what just happened. I had never heard of something like this before, and from the looks of it, neither had Caspian. He walked over towards the pool, as though to find some answer about the nature of the water.  
"He must have fallen in." Caspian concluded.  
"Poor man." Lucy looked upset, gazing at the statue.  
"You mean 'poor Lord.'" Edmund pointed out.  
Caspian eyed the statue closer. "The crest of Lord Restimar."  
"And his sword." Edmund pointed deeper into the pool, and I noticed the sword for the first time.  
"We need it." Caspian said.  
Edmund drew his sword, and I knew what he was going to try to do.  
"Be careful." I said, taking a few steps towards them.  
With safe and collective movements, Edmund managed to pull the sword out of the pool with his own sword, and it amazingly hadn't turned to gold. As though hearing my thoughts, Lucy spoke,  
"You sword hasn't turned to gold."  
"Both the swords are magical." Caspian answered, taking the sword from Edmund.  
Lucy looked once again at the golden statue. "He mustn't have known what hit him."  
"Maybe." Edmund replied, sheathing his sword and standing at the water's edge, with an investigating expression on his face. "Or maybe he was onto something."  
I exchanged a look with Lucy and Caspian, all of us confused as to what Edmund was implying.  
"What're you talking about?" Caspian said.  
Edmund knelt down and picked up a shell.  
"Edmund?" I said, wanting to know what he was thinking.  
He then dipped the shell into the pool, and dropped it on the side just as fast. We watched as the shell turned to gold, just like the branch and the man had done. I was shocked by the sheer power that the pool held. I wasn't sure if I liked it. Edmund had picked up the shell once more, and was gazing at it as though it was the thing he had wanted to find for a long time. He was in awe.  
"What're you staring at?" Lucy asked.  
"Whoever has access to this pool, could be the most powerful person in the world." Caspian and I exchanged concerned looks. Edmund then turned to Lucy, with an almost evil glint in his eye. "Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do or who to live with."  
I looked over at Lucy, and saw that she was slightly scared of Edmund's behaviour. That makes two of us.  
"You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund." Caspian said, with a hint of authority in his voice.  
Edmund was still transfixed by the golden shell. "Says who?"  
"I do."  
All three of us looked at Caspian. Or should I say, King Caspian. He was wearing a stern, almost angry expression, staring Edmund down. Edmund wasn't impressed. The shell was still in his hand as he approached Caspian, sword now in his hand loosely.  
"I'm not your subject." Edmund said.  
"You've been waiting for this, haven't you?" Caspian looked somewhat relaxed with confronting Edmund. He definitely has grown in power as a King. "To challenge me? You doubt my leadership?" They were standing almost nose to nose now, as though they were about to have a stand-off. I stood by Lucy, not knowing what to do. I knew that Edmund hated to be overruled by Peter, and now Caspian, but there was nothing anyone could do about that. I didn't know whether to break this up, or to let them express their frustration.  
"You doubt yourself." Edmund argued.  
"You're a child!" Caspian retaliated.  
"And you're a spineless sap!"  
They were right in each other's' faces.  
"Edmund." Lucy stepped forwards to try to pull Edmund away, but he just tugged out of her grip.  
"I'm tired of playing second fiddle. First it was Peter, and now it's you!" The anger on Edmund's face was getting more and more heated with every word, and any minute now, he was about to snap. Caspian didn't budge though. "You know I'm braver than both of you." Caspian smirked slightly, not believing what he was hearing, but I knew from the look on his face that he wasn't going to let Edmund talk to him like that. "Why do you get Peter's sword? I deserve a Kingdom of my own. I deserve to rule!"  
"If you think you're so brave, prove it!" Caspian shoved Edmund back with no effort, but Edmund recoiled, swinging his sword. Caspian had already pulled his out, fighting back. Recovering quickly from our exclamation of shock at the boys' behaviour, Lucy and I jumped in between them. I was not tolerating this.  
"No! Stop it!" Lucy shouted, aiming at Edmund.  
"Both of you!" I shouted at Caspian. I could tell that he was shocked that I had shouted at him, but they both needed to realise that we need to stick together if we're going to carry this voyage through.  
"Look at yourselves." Lucy continued, softer. "Can't you see what's happening? This place has tempted you. It's bewitching you. This is exactly what Coriakin was taking about."  
Edmund looked at the golden shell he still held in his hand.  
"Let's just get out of here, before things start to become worse." I walked towards the rope hanging from the entrance, Lucy right behind me. I hoisted Lucy up, and held the rope steady as she climbed. I noticed that Caspian had collected himself, and made him way over to me. He looked guilty of his behaviour.  
"He was only letting his frustration out. He's been bottling it up for a while, but he wouldn't have said anything if temptation hadn't had gotten to him." I said softly, not wanting Edmund to hear. He was still standing over by the pool. "We need to stick together on this. Edmund's more grown up than you think he is; we need him." I smiled at Caspian, not wanting him to think I was taking sides. He touched my arm gently, and I knew he wasn't mad.  
"Here." He said, giving me a lift up.

We had walked in silence back to the boats, where we found that the crew hadn't managed to gather much food. Soon after, we realised that Eustace was nowhere to be seen. Caspian and Edmund went to look for him, leaving Lucy and I with the crew. Caspian gave me the Lord's sword, and so Lucy and I took a boat back to the ship with a few of the crew members, including Reepicheep and Drinian.  
"I hope Eustace is okay."  
Lucy, Drinian, Gael and I were standing on the upper deck of the ship, looking over at the island, waiting for Edmund and Caspian to emerge with Eustace.  
"He was in a sulky mood because of what happened on the boat. He's probably just g one off in a-"  
Suddenly, there came a huge roaring sound, echoing from the island. Everyone on the ship ceased what they were doing to turn to look in the direction of the island.  
"What was that?" Lucy asked, turning to Drinian.  
A second roar was emitted, followed by a gasp of fire blowing out from behind one of the cliffs.  
Gael's voice shook as she spoke. "Is it the volcano?"  
Drinian's eyes were fixed on the island. "Oh, no. That's no volcano." He walked down onto the deck. "All hands on deck here!"  
I stayed put, eyeing the island. "It can't be." I whispered, knowing what had caused the flames.  
"What?" Lucy asked, looking between me and the island.  
As archers were preparing themselves, my thoughts were confirmed right. At that moment, a huge dragon came sweeping towards us, flapping its enormous wings with blinding power. Fire flew from its mouth, and I instinctively grabbed Lucy and Gael, pushing them behind me as the dragon reached us.  
The dragon, however, didn't seem to attack; it landed on the mast instead.  
"What's it doing?" She shouted in panic.  
All members of the crew aimed their crossbows at the dragon, and fired on command. After a few blows, the dragon flew back to the island in fear. Crew members cheered and relaxed, but I didn't. My family were on that island...  
The dragon then returned moments later, this time holding something in its claws. Lucy and I immediately panicked when we noticed that it was Edmund. We both cried out his name, and when the dragon changed course to go back to the island, I rushed down onto the deck and started preparing a boat to go ashore. Crew members came to my aid when they realised my intentions. Lucy followed me into the boat, along with Drinian, Rhince, Gael, and Reep.

Once ashore, we found that Edmund and Caspian were standing calmly with the dragon, both watching as the creature was trying to chew something off of its front leg. Caspian and Edmund looked over at us as we approached. I saw that they were both unharmed, however I still rushed over to see if Edmund was okay.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Eustace would never harm me. Even as a dragon." Edmund replied.  
I looked at him in disbelief. I then looked at the dragon, and tried to see what Edmund was talking about, but I couldn't see it. "What do you mean? That's not Eustace...is it?" Now I wasn't so sure.  
"It's him. He must have been tempted by the treasure."  
"Anyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted." Caspian said. Eustace growled a little at him. "Well anyone from here."  
I smiled at him. I crossed the ground, going over to stand by Caspian. "Are you alright?" I looked up at him, as Lucy went over to Eustace and pulled the golden bangle from his forearm.  
Caspian shot me a reassuring look, a warm glint in his eye. "I was more worried about you."  
He really did know how to make me smile. I flashed him a grin, before turning back to the situation at hand. Eustace was now free of the golden bangle, but he hadn't turned back to human form.  
"Is there any way to change him back?" Edmund asked.  
"Not that I know of." Caspian replied, and looked over at Drinian. He shook his head in response to Caspian's silent question. Eustace started to look more panicked. Edmund turned to him.  
"Aunt Alberta will not be pleased." Lucy and I giggled, glad that the mood was lightened. Eustace, on the other hand, didn't find Edmund's comment amusing.  
"Sorry about the hand, old boy." Reepicheep said, looking apologetically at Eustace. "I can be a little overzealous at times." Eustace growled in response.  
"The boats are ready, Sire." Tevros announced.  
"We can't leave him alone." I said, looking at Caspian.  
"We can't bring him on board, Miss Alexandra." Drinian said.  
"Drinian, you and the others take one boat back. The rest of us will stay here till morning...and work out what to do."  
Caspian looked stressed. I don't blame him really. I put my hand on his arm in comfort, and looked up at him sweetly, wanting nothing more than to show him how much I am there for him.  
"But you've no provisions, and no means of staying warm, Your Majesty." Rhince stated. Caspian didn't answer. Eustace then breathed fire onto a branch that had been discarded on the floor, and it lit up in flames. Drinian, and Rhince jumped back out of shock.  
"You were saying?" Reep said. We all grinned heartily.

It had turned to night on Dragon Island (which is what we had named the island for reasons that you will probably guess), and the atmosphere was very relaxed, considering the situation Eustace had landed himself in. We had collected as much wood as we could find to improve the fire that Eustace had started. It was now a blasting fire in the centre of the circle that we had structured. Reepicheep was keeping Eustace company, and trying to console him and comfort him, Lucy was showing Gael constellations in the stars, and Edmund and Caspian were sitting on a log, staring up at the sky also. I was sitting on my own, collecting my thoughts. It wasn't often that I got to lie down on a beach at night, stare at the stars, and think about things. I could hear the others talking, but I wasn't really listening, until I heard something shocking.  
"You really love her, don't you?" Edmund asked.  
My eyes widened, but I didn't move. I didn't want him to know I had heard. Instead, I just perked my ears up, and listened.  
Caspian took a while to reply. "I'm trying not to, but I'm finding myself becoming more in love with her every moment we spend together. During our three years apart, I dreamt about her every night. I thought about her every day. Every morning when I woke up, I expected to find her next to me. I just can't live without her. She is the reason I go on living. She is the reason I'm the man I am today. She is the reason."  
Without realising it, I felt myself smile. I felt my heart burst with a sudden new-found, warm energy that touched my soul. Those words hit something inside of me, and it made me feel so wonderful, so special, so wanted.  
"Maybe that's why she was called here. Maybe you both are destined to be together. There's a reason why we've all been brought here. Including Eustace, although I'm not sure why." They both laugh, and I grinned. I turned my head and looked over at Caspian, admiring him. He was still talking to Edmund, not noticing that I was looking over at him. Me coming to Narnia was starting to make perfect sense; Caspian was my reason.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note: Firstly, I'm just going to apologize for how long it has been since I have updated! It's been just under a year, I can't believe that. It honestly shows just how crazy this year has been for me, but now that it's getting towards the summer, I can most definitely start updating more often! Anyways, enjoy!**

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty Four~*~Caught Off Guard~***

"Everybody!" I heard distantly, as though someone was shouting from the other side of the door. "Everybody wake up!" My eyes flew open, waking me up from my dream and slumber.

Beside me, Caspian had sat up on his forearms, looking over to Lucy, who had awoken us all with her shouts. I looked over too, furrowing my eyebrows, wondering why she was so eager.

"It's the Blue Star!"

I turned quickly to look out towards the Dawn Treader, which was bobbing gently on the water, and saw the Blue Star shining at us from its position high in the sun-risen sky. I could feel the atmosphere immediately change into positivity; we were one giant step closer into finding the rest of the lost Lords, and Ramandu's Island. I looked at Caspian and saw a broad grin across his face.

"Everyone, back to the ship!" He said, jumping to his feet and pulling me up beside him. The crew hastily piled everything resource we had found into the boat, and boarded behind Lucy, Edmund, Caspian and I. Eustace, with Reepicheep perched on his long snout, rose into the air, flying over to the ship. Once we boarded the Dawn Treader, the crew had readied the ship to travel towards the Blue Star. Eustace was flying alongside us with ease, getting used to the power and agility of his wings.

The day was pressing on, and although seeing the Blue Star had lifted everyone's hopes and spirits, tension and stress was still hovering over our heads. Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Drinian and I had been on the upper deck trying to map out whereabouts all the islands had been positioned and where the Blue Star was supposedly pointing us. We had been making so much noise with the deep conversations and near arguments that the majority of the crew had ceased in their work to look at us with listening ears. We'd had to retreat to Caspian's cabin to avoid straying eyes and ears.

"Look, we are heading in this general direction, as Dragon Island had been positioned back towards the Lone Islands at this co-ordinate." Edmund was leaned over the map, stabbing the map hard with his fingers as he pointed out just where he was referring to. He, Caspian, and Drinian were in a bit of a heated conversation.

"No, Edmund, we were here when we discovered Coriakin's Island to the East, therefore, Ramandu's Island must be here, and Dragon Island further north at this position." Caspian retaliated, contradicting Edmund's side. Drinian then joined in with another ultimatum. Lucy and I had tried to intervene, but decided that they weren't going to listen to us as they thought that they knew better. We weren't going to argue anymore as we agreed that they did have more of a chance in knowing what co-ordinate we were at; they were more familiar with sailing. Lucy and I had stepped out onto the balcony for some fresh air, and also to escape for a few moments.

"Wow, evening came around rather quickly." I said, only just noticing that it was in fact dusk. The sun was setting in the far west, whilst we were currently heading south to follow the Blue Star.

"It really is fantastic here. I wish we lived closer to the sea back home. Imagine just walking along the sand in the evening, hearing the waves crash at your feet…" Lucy said, leaning on the ship with a smile on her face.

I smiled with her.

"Mm. That sounds quite ideal, I must say."

I looked down into the water, waiting to see dolphins or merpeople or some creature enjoying the ripples and waves from the ship. Instead, I saw a frantic merperson, waving with haste at us. At first I thought she was being friendly, but after a moment, I noticed the terrified expression on her face. Mine and Lucy's happiness dropped, concern flooding our judgement. The merperson finished her warning, and then dived beneath the surface, leaving Lucy and I confused. We turned at each other, exchanging nervous looks. We went back inside the cabin, but found it was empty. The map still lay sprawled on the desk, a compass on top of it.

"I wonder if they came to a conclusion." Lucy said, running her hand over the map.

"I hope so. I don't really fancy sailing back and forth because they can't agree on a course."

"I say we just simply say that we need to head towards the Blue Star. That's what Coriakin wanted us to do, and he's the best advice we've had so far."

"I one hundred percentage agree with you."

Soon after, Lucy and I returned to our cabin, as the darkness of night had come upon us. We retired to bed, but I laid awake thinking for a while. I starred up at the paintings on the ceiling, and thought about what the merperson indicated. We were heading for something important, but dangerous.

The next morning was clear skies. It was warm, and calm. However, the atmosphere on deck was far from calm; the crew were becoming restless, and were starting to get anxious and impatient about the lack of food on the ship. Lucy and I tried to keep everyone in good spirits by conversing with them, but no luck. I retreated to sitting on the barrels next to Caspian and Edmund, when Drinian came over.

"The wind has left us."

"So how do we get to Ramandu's Island now then?" Edmund asked, looking around.

Drinian walked slowly towards the stairs to the upper deck. "My guess is something doesn't want us to get there."

All this suspicion about other elements in this 'quest' was starting to make me nervous. What could be out there that was going against us behind our backs?

Drinian was pacing around the ship, getting frustrated looks from the crew thrown in his direction. He ignored them. I turned to Edmund.

"What could it be?"

"I don't know. But I'm guessing we're going to find out soon."

One of the crew members cut our conversation short;

"If I get any hungrier, I'm gonna eat that dragon!" He violent tugged on some ropes whilst glaring up at Eustace, who was hovering to the side of the ship. Eustace returned his dirty look. I would too.

"This is getting insane." I said, leaning forward and rubbing my temples with my fingers. I felt Caspian rub my back soothingly. I sighed. It was hard to keep spirits up when being in this current situation of near starvation, and the feeling of not getting any closer to our goal.

Drinian returned to us. "If we don't find land by tonight, they may well eat that dragon."

Edmund shot him a half-frustrated and half-sarcastic look. I could tell that my brother was getting on edge too; he was frustrated that there was nothing he could do to help. He reminded me of Peter at times; both of them wanted to prove themselves at some point.

I stood up. "Right, I'm going to go—"

The ship gave a violent jerk. I lost my footing, along with the rest of the crew, and fell to the ground, catching myself with my arms.

"What did we hit?!" Caspian exclaimed, helping me to my feet. Everyone ran to the edge of the ship, leaning over as far as they could to see the source of the jerk. I couldn't locate anything, when Edmund shouted;

"Eustace, that's brilliant!"

We all looked to see that Eustace had wrapped his tail around the bow of the ship, and was pulling with all his might to move the ship, and keep it on course. His gigantic wings were working furiously. The crew members cheered. I grinned at my little cousin, not so little anymore. I was impressed at how this life as a dragon was treating him, making him less selfish and more involved.

While Caspian and Edmund retreated below deck, Drinian came over to stand by me. The rest of the crew got back to their work, the mood lifted a little now that we were on our way again.

"Even though young Eustace has only been a dragon for a day, he has greatly improved."

I smiled up at Drinian. "It really has. He definitely needed this."

Lucy and Gael joined us on deck, and I pointed Eustace out. Lucy was overjoyed. She's always been convinced that Eustace will eventually break out of his selfish streak. Lucy's right, every time.

I stayed up on deck for a good few hours, enjoying the warm weather and spending time with Lucy and Gael. We went and sat up at the front of the ship with Eustace, in order to keep him company. I think he enjoyed it; he looked back a few times and I saw a dragon-smile on his face.

"You know what I really have an urge to do right now?" I said, peering over the edge of the bow at the water.

"What?" Lucy replied.

"I really want to just swim around in that water. It looks so warm, so inviting."

Lucy giggled. "I don't think that would be the best idea at the moment."

I laughed too. "No, probably not."

"For one, the crew would go crazy and start yelling 'man overboard' and they'd all rush to save you."

"Not that I would want saving. They would disturb my peaceful swim!"

We laughed again. Lucy then leaned back a little to look down at the water. "Although, now you've said it, I've got the urge now."

"I guess we're just gonna have to wait until a better time."

We bantered back and forth for a while longer, before I decided to go and see what Caspian and Edmund were up to, and hopefully they weren't bickering over the map again.

When I reached Caspian's cabin, I found that they were investigating the three magical swords that we had acquired on our journey so far. They were also peering over the map.

"Do you guys find out anything else?" I asked, going to stand by the map.

"No. We were just trying to see if these swords had any specific carvings on their blades." Caspian replied, turning one of the swords over in his hand.

"Like if they had any clues to where the others may be. Or just anything really." Edmund joined in.

I nodded, and took one of the swords into my own hands. I looked at it for a few minutes, but all I could see was a little wear and tear, a few scratches on the blade from its battles. I then started to swing it lightly around, feeling the weight of its power.

"This is a good sword. A little heavy for my liking, but powerful." I said.

"Makes you wonder how all seven of them, and their masters, have gone missing." Caspian said. "But anyway, that's enough for now. The main thing is that we have three, and we have four left to find."

"Right. Always think of the positives." As I moved to sit over on the window seat, I noticed that Caspian gave Edmund a rather meaningful look, who seemed to understand it after a moment, as though they were communicating through telepathy.

"Right, umm..I'm going to see how Eustace is doing. Make sure that he isn't getting too tired. He's our only means of getting anywhere right now."

Edmund gave me and Caspian a smile, and then walked out of the room with a grin on his face. I furrowed my eyebrows. What did he know that I didn't?

Caspian turned to me and gave me a smile also. I returned it naturally. He came to sit by me.

"How are you doing today?" He asked, pushing a strand of my hair out of my face. I felt shivers.

"Doing good. Feeling as though we may be getting close to discovering something else. Very soon also."

"How so?" He took my hand and started to run his finger over my knuckles. His touch was soft, loving.

"I just have this feeling that we've taken another turn on our journey. Like we are on the brick of reaching another step, finding out something else. Maybe another island, another sword, or another turn of events." I felt like I was talking a little strangely. "I don't know. It's just a feeling , I guess."

"No, I understand. I feel the same way. Maybe it's the luck we've been having lately."

I nodded, and gave a big smile when he moved my hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently.

"Why are you so intimate all of a sudden?" I laughed, leaning closer to him.

He grinned. "No reason. Do I need a reason?"

He leaned closer towards me.

I shook my head, and as our faces came closer, I felt my breathing start to get shaky, my heart speeding up, pounding against my ribs.

Our lips touched.

Everytime we kiss I feel like it's been years since we last did.

We pulled back, both smiling. He gripped both of my hands in his, and looked me in the eyes, his expression turning more serious.

"Alex, there's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about for a long time now." The worried expression on my face must have been highly noticeable. "Oh, no, no! It's nothing bad, I promise."

I breathed a sigh of relief, and laughed slightly.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "It was one of the only things of my father's that my Professor managed to hide away. He gave it to me when I had my coronation, just before you and your siblings left."

The box was beautiful. It was a midnight blue colour, and scattered on it was the moon and the stars. They twinkled in the light.

"Caspian, it's stunning."

He then opened the box.

I cannot tell you the emotions that I felt in that moment. Shocked, amazed, heartbroken, overjoyed. My hand found my mouth as I stared down at the ring.

"I've been thinking a lot lately about how I thought I had lost you the day you left Narnia. That was the worst moment of my life, and the past three years, although they have been good to me, I have found that something was missing the entire time. I've always known that that something was you. When you returned a few weeks ago, I immediately felt complete. From that moment, I knew that I couldn't let you go again. I couldn't let you slip away like I did last time. I will not let that happen again." My eyes flew up to his. "And so, I came to the conclusion and realisation, that I want you to come back to my Kingdom, and be my Queen. Live with me, rule with me."

His words were like music to my ears. This has been what I've been wanting to hear for three years now. I've dreamt of this moment, and it's more perfect than I ever would have imagined.

But then my heart sank. Peter. Susan. Helen.

"Caspian, I…" I leaned back slightly. His smile faded slightly.

"What's wrong?"

I had to blink my eyes to prevent tears from escaping. "I'm just…I'm not sure if I…I don't think…" I couldn't form any coherent sentences at this moment.

Caspian retracted the ring, looking heartbroken. My heart broke a little more. I took my hand away from my face and looked at him sadly, wanting him to look at me.

"I understand if this is not what you wish." He got up and headed towards the door.

"No, Caspian!" I stood up and he stopped where he was, but he didn't turn back to face me. "I can't just abandon my family. Especially when they have given me so much."

Before I could continue, he interrupted. "If this is what you choose, I cannot change your mind."

He left the room, almost slamming the door behind him. I fell to the floor, unable to hold it together. I cried harder than I ever have done in my life.

This wasn't the turn of events that I anticipated.


	25. Chapter 25

**This is long overdue, and I do apologise. I am in my last year of University, so work is extremely tough, but I have found my time to write you this next chapter. I wanted to make it longer than the previous chapters as I have missed these characters so much. I wanted to give all of you faithful followers a good chunk to read and enjoy.**

**Please leave me a review with your honest thoughts, and of course, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty Five~*~What is Logic, or Reason?~***

I hadn't moved from Caspian's cabin. I was stuck in a trance, in some sort of dream state. I must have been in this room for hours. That's what it felt like anyway. My tears had ceased, but my face was still wet with emotion. I had been imagining Caspian's proposal for the past three years now, yet I never once went through a scenario where I would say no. When it came to Caspian, everything seemed right; everything seemed to fit like a puzzle. He is all I ever wanted, and now I know that I am all he ever wanted.  
Yet why have I brought this heartache to the both of us? I want to marry him, but my mouth just couldn't say yes. That in itself had crushed my heart.

I approached the window, and rested my forehead against the cool glass pane. The ocean was steady, calm, peaceful. But inside my head, the waves were crashing against the sides of my skull, causing me confusion and pain. What was the right thing to do? Because what I am feeling at the moment, is not right.  
I breathed in deeply, feeling the air fill my lungs, and held it for a moment, until my eyes started to feel a little dizzy. I breathed out just as slowly. I felt the lump in my throat arising again, but I swallowed, not letting the tears pour once again.

Looking out towards the blue sky, I tried to imagine me as Queen. The picture was there, but the feeling wasn't. I felt like I had betrayed the King. My King. Could I make up for this mistake? Saying no was a mistake, but abandoning my family was also a mistake.

* * *

After lying on the window seat for the majority of the day, I then realised that the sun was setting. My thoughts had been exhausted, and a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I jumped up, not expecting it. I had been cooped up on my own all day so I had forgotten that the rest of the world existed.

"Alex? Are you in there?"

Lucy.

I rushed to the mirror and checked my appearance. I didn't want her to see evidence of my tears. "Yes, come in, Lucy."

Lucy entered and closed the door behind her. "Where have you been all day? We've missed you up on deck."

"Oh, um…I, I was just…resting." She wasn't convinced. "I just needed some alone time, to collect my thoughts, you know. Things have been very overwhelming lately, so I just needed some time."

That wasn't a lie, and Lucy knew it, so she left that topic alone.

"We have reached Ramandu's Island."

That shocked me. "Really?"

She nodded. "Eustace was brilliant and pulled the ship the whole way. We wouldn't be here without him."

"He really has turned his attitude around since being turned into a scaly creature!" I surprised myself by adding laughter into the sentence. Lucy joined me.

"I knew he would. The crew are preparing the boats to go ashore. We've finally reached the next step on our journey."

I managed a small smile. That was a positive aspect of today. "Are we all going ashore?" The question sounded ridiculous as soon as it came out of my mouth. Lucy noticed this too.

"Yes, of course."

After a moment, I followed her up onto the deck. The crew were still bustling around. My eyes wanted to find Caspian, but I made them stare at the island in front of us.

It was covered in foliage, but there was an aura of death radiating from the land, as though the life had been sucked out of it. It wasn't pleasant.

"…majority of the crew onto the island too, leaving only half a dozen manning the Ship."

My heart lurched so violently that it made me feel physically sick. Caspian's voice hit me like a brick wall. I immediately turned to find him, and all I had to do was look to my right.

He was conversing with Drinian, neither of them looking in my direction. Drinian being Caspian's closest friend, I wondered if he had told him about what happened between us. I hope not. I didn't want anyone knowing until I had set it right.

Caspian looked over at me and caught my eye. He immediately broke the contact, and my heart sunk that tiny bit more. Before I could realise what I was doing, I found my legs carrying me over to him. He seemed to notice this too, but he didn't move away. He wasn't looking at me.

"Caspian…" I choked on my words. The lump in my throat was growing. Caspian didn't move. "Caspian…please don't think that I have never considered the possibility that if someday you were to ask me this wonderful, life-changing question, I would say yes. Because that is what I would say, with no hesitation, if things were simpler." His eyes were gazing into mine by this point. I saw pain. I saw a broken soul. "I have to think about-"

"The boats are ready, My King!" Drinian called over.

Caspian continued to look me in the eye for a moment. He then approached me, and lightly kissed my temple, before heading over to the boats. His action hit me hard. It was unexpected, but revealed so much. It was as though he was refusing to hate me because of all of this. I thought he would keep himself separate from me, at least for a little while. His action showed me how much he does care. I fought back tears and felt my chest get heavier with heartache.

Lucy surprised me by suddenly being in front of me. "Hey, what's wrong?"

I stayed silent.

"Don't shut me out, Alex."

I let out a shaky breath and looked at my little sister, who had worry all over her face. I don't think I could make up any more excuses or put it off for any longer. I was exhausted.

"I'll tell you about it when we return to the ship. Okay?"

Lucy looked like she was about to argue, but Edmund interrupted.

"Lucy, Alex! Time to go!"

Lucy nodded at me in acknowledgment that I would share my silent behaviour with her. She wrapped her arm around me as we walked over to the boats and took our seats.

By the time we stepped onto the island, the sky was a midnight blue. It was beautiful. But being surrounded by dead-spirited foliage, we didn't feel the beauty once we were submerged into the heart of the island. We were struggling to see the path, some of us tripping over loose rocks occasionally. Lucy held onto my hand for support. Once it became near impossible to see, Edmund lit up his torch, and lead the way, Caspian hot on his tail. I kept my distance from Caspian, letting Lucy walk between us once I had let go of her hand.

We walked for quite some time, not finding anything significant. It was all trees, shrubbery, and foliage. Even the deeper we walked into the island, the feeling of death still surrounded us heavily.

Soon, a table was upon us. It was covered with all kinds of food. My mouth watered with want.

"Mmm, food." Tevros announced, and the crew members all reached out to start helping themselves.

Drinian halted them. "Wait!"

Everyone stopped on command, but from the looks of their faces, they wanted that food more than anything. We had been starving for weeks.

Caspian and Edmund were looking around the table, trying to find anything suspicious or out of place. Lucy and I also found our eyes wandering the scene. Edmund shined the torch towards the head of the table, revealing three old men, covered in twigs, branches and roots. I stepped closer and narrowed my gaze. They were so still. It was as though they were frozen, and had turned into a part of the island. I hear the sound of swords leaving their sheathes. I didn't see the danger.

Caspian and Edmund approached the men.

"Lord Revillian." Caspian announced, moving over to the second man. "Lord Mavramorn."

Lucy then walked over and pulled the hair back from the third man's face.

"Lord Argoz." Caspian finalised.

Lucy jumped back in surprise, and I noticed for the first time that the man was breathing. Slowly, but rather loudly. Caspian investigated, moving in closer.

"He's breathing…" He announced in wonder.

"So are they." Edmund said, referring to the other two Lords. "They're under a spell."

Caspian turned around and focused his attention on the food. He scanned the table with frantic eyes. He threw out his hand and shouted,

"It's the food!"

All the crew members dropped the food they had started to feast upon, a mixture of shock and disappointment evident in their features. I didn't understand fully what the message was. Who, or what, was trying to throw us off guard? I couldn't find the link.

"Hey." Edmund pulled everyone's attention. "It's the stone knife. This is Aslan's table."

Caspian grabbed one of the swords, staring at it for a moment. "Their swords! On the table!"

Caspian placed two of the swords on the table, one on top of the other. Lucy and I grabbed three others from the sleeping Lords, and followed Caspian's action. Edmund finished off the task by placing his own sword on top of the others.

"That's six." I announced, looking at the formation of the swords. I was expecting something to happen in that moment; some sort of sign that we are on the right tracks into figuring these swords out and what their power was.

For the first time, Caspian spoke to me. "Still missing one." He looked up at me.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the swords started to glow a brilliant blue, lighting up our surroundings. The atmosphere immediately felt more alive, like the magic of Narnia had surfaced once again. A second strike of blue struck from above us, bringing our attention to the sky. A giant ball of shining blue light was growing in size as it came closer and closer to us. Caspian pointed his sword at the ball, while I instinctively stepped closer to Lucy, putting myself in between her and the blue light. The light gathered speed, and landed in between us, temporarily blinding us as it illuminated brightly.

Once we were able to focus our eyes, we found that the ball had transformed into a young woman, although she was still glowing blue. Caspian lowered his sword.

"Travellers of Narnia, welcome." Everyone, including myself, bowed in respect. "Arise." She looked around at everyone, then at the food that had hardly been touched. "Are you not hungry?"

"Who are you?" Edmund asked. He had a smile on his face, and I could tell that he liked what he was seeing. She was a very beautiful woman.

"I'm Liliandil, daughter of Ramandu. I am your guide."

Caspian stepped closer to her. "You're a Star?"

She smiled at him, and nodded. I felt something stir in my stomach.

At this moment, he was only interested in her. "You are absolutely stunning."

I looked at Caspian, shock all over my face. I felt as though something had just pierced my heart, making me ache with pain.

"If it is a distraction for you, I can change form." Liliandil suggested.

"No." The Kings answered together.

Another pierce. I had turned to look away from the situation, focusing on the swords on the table.

"Please. The food is for you." She continued to speak, and an orange glow contrasted with the blue. I briefly looked over at the table to find she had lit the candles that were situated in the centre of the food. "There is enough for all who are welcome at Aslan's table. Always. Help yourselves."

Before anyone could touch the food, Edmund spoke.

"Wait! What happened to them?" He indicated to the Lords.

"These poor men were half-mad by the time they reached our shores. They were threatening violence upon each other. Violence is forbidden at the table of Aslan. So they were sent to sleep." Liliandil informed us.

I was trying so very hard to focus on her every word, and putting the pieces of this quest together. But I felt as though the ache in my chest was pulling me closer to the ground, and it was becoming unbearable.

"Will they ever wake?" Lucy sounded so close.

"When all is put right. Come…this is little time." Liliandil walked away from the table, and I heard hustle. The crew members must be helping themselves to food.

I gritted my teeth.

Enough.

I turned on my heel, and walked in the direction of the ship. My hand had instinctively grabbed onto the front of my shirt over my heart, and my eyes felt like they were burning with anger. I passed Lucy, who called out after me. I didn't stop. Tears were falling down my cheeks. I wasn't sure if they were out of anger or pain. Probably both. Caspian and Edmund called my name also, but again, I didn't stop. Caspian's voice tore further into my chest. For the first time in three years, I didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted home. I wanted Susan, and Peter.

I heard footsteps behind me, but I was in no way prepared to find out who it was.

I had reached the edge of the island.

"Eustace? Eustace!" I called out, my voice breaking a little.

He was in front of me within a few seconds.

"Take me to the ship." He hesitated. "Please."

Eustace wrapped his gigantic feet around my middle, and lifted me into the air, the cold wind hitting my face helped cool me down. Once at the ship, Eustace gently placed me on the dock.

"Thank you." I whispered, touching his foot in a warm-hearted manner. I stole a glance at his face, and he was worried, pained. Something I had never seen in him before.

I went below the deck. By this point, I was fuming, I was upset, I was jealous. This was the moment that everything just got on top of me, and I didn't know how to handle it, what to think, what to do.

I didn't want to be disturbed, so instead of cooping myself away in Caspian's cabin, I went to the lower decks. I didn't care about getting lost in the halls, especially as none of the candles were lit so I couldn't see very well. I didn't want anyone to find me easily.

I settled myself on one of the ledges of the wide, circular windows. The water was licking at the ship, just below the window's glass. I wiped my eyes and cheeks on my sleeves. I had no more energy to cry. So instead of feeling the water travel down my face, I focused on the ocean, being the calmest I had seen it in weeks.

I can't even make sense of my mixed actions. I practically say no to Caspian, the man whom I have loved so deeply for three years. And then I get jealous and angry and upset when I see him look at another woman? That's completely counteracting, and it's not fair on Caspian.

I could not think anymore, as fatigue and exhaustion took over my mind and body, and I soon drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, I found myself in Caspian's bed, where Lucy and Gael usually sleep. I was alone. At least, I thought I was, until I noticed that Lucy was sitting on the window seat. I blinked a few times, adjusting my eyes to the rising sun. I sat up in bed and stretched my arms a little. Lucy rushed over and sat on the edge of the bed, engulfing me in a hug.

"What happened last night? You just left, with no warning." I shut my eyes, enjoying the closeness. "We were so worried. We couldn't find you for ages when we got back to the ship."

Lucy parted from me, and took my hands into hers. I didn't know what to say. My mind just had so many thoughts bustling around that I couldn't think of anything. The sickening and heartbreaking feeling was returning to my stomach as I remembered yesterday.

"How did I end up in here?" I managed to ask, with a rather monotonous voice.

"Caspian carried you up here when he found you last night. We wanted to wake you, but he insisted that you needed the sleep."

At the mention of his name, my heart gave a tug.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Lucy said.

Caspian entered the cabin. I looked over towards the wall, trying to make my action look subtle. I didn't want a wave of emotion to take over me.

"Lucy, could you give us a minute, please?" He asked pleasantly.

"Of course." I could tell that Lucy knew something was going on between Caspian and me from the look she gave me before she left the room. Caspian shut the door gently behind her. I still couldn't find it in myself to look at him. He didn't say anything or move for a while. The silence was so heavy that I felt extremely self-conscious. What was he thinking right in this moment? What was he going to say, or do?

After what felt like minutes upon minutes, he took a seat on the edge of the bed, just as Lucy had done.

"What was the reason for your actions last night? Why did you leave-"

I got up and walked over to the window, crossing my arms and not answering him.

"Don't ignore this." He said.

I still didn't answer. I was rapidly searching my brain to say the right thing this time, but I couldn't find it. My heart was beating faster and faster.

Caspian made me jump a little when he appeared in front of me, but I turned away again.

"Alex?" He grabbed my arm and I didn't fight him. He leaned close to me. I have to say something, so I just let the words fall out. What more damage could it do?

"I saw the way you looked at her."

"Looked at who?" He replied, which made me stare at him.

"That Star."

Caspian was confused. "In what way did I look at her?"

A spark was ignited inside me. "Oh, Caspian, don't play blindly." I pulled my arm out of his hand and approached the window.

"I was looking at her as I would anyone. She was helping us." I stayed silent. I could feel my chest becoming heavier once again, mimicking yesterday. Caspian spoke softly, and he was close behind me. I could almost feel his breathe. "Was it because I made that comment about her appearance?" I swallowed hard, trying to dismiss the stirring sensation in my stomach. I clutched at my chest, finding it harder to breathe. Caspian stood in front of me, but I continued to stare out of the window, knowing that if I looked at him again, I wouldn't be able to hold it together.

"Just because I didn't give you a 'yes' yesterday, doesn't mean that I don't love you." I was finding it harder and harder to keep my words together. "The way I feel about you is…more powerful…than I…have ever…" I closed my eyes, losing my voice as the lump in my throat caused me to lose my composure. My hands were shaking, my whole body was starting to follow. I looked at the ground, trying to shield my crying eyes from him.

He then shocked me by putting his hands on either side of my face and kissed me with more passion than ever before. I grabbed his waist with urgency, returning his love-filled kiss.

It was a short kiss, but that was all it took. He rested his forehead against mine, his thumbs stroking my cheekbones.

"It's always been you. Always been you." He pulled away to look into my eyes. He spoke slowly, and with heavy emphasis, "It will always be you."

I smiled brighter than I had done for what felt like days. As I looked him in the eye, I reached up and ran my hand through his hair. His smile matched mine.

He then pulled back and grabbed my hand. "Come with me." He didn't give me time to answer; he led me speedily out of the room and down the hall to his study room, where all his books and tapestries were. With Caspian not saying anything, I know that he wanted me to take in my surroundings, to really understand what I was looking at. I somehow felt different standing in this room. There was something very calming, and for the first time in a while, I felt like myself again.

Caspian approached me, and looked me in the eye. He took my hand. "Stay here. Marry me."

Now that our emotions were under control, I was thinking more logistically. "I…I can't."

"Why not?" He wasn't upset; he wanted, needed, to know the reason.

"It's just not practical, it's not logical."

"When is love logical?" He asked, still gazing into my eyes. "If you love me as much as you say you do…"

"I do!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"When has there ever been someone from my world staying in Narnia until they die?"

There is a moment's silence.

"The first King and Queen of Narnia." He announced.

"That's different. Aslan brought them because they were needed."

"You are needed!" He moved his hands to my waist. The desperation and love in his voice was becoming entrancing, and I was being pulled in by his words. "You're my Queen!" The look he was giving me…I wanted to stop this conversation, but we were halfway there.

"But you're already ruling comfortably and successfully."

"Without my Queen at my side."

I didn't ignore his use of the word 'my' instead of 'a'. His words were making me fall further in love with him. I spoke with a softer tone. "Even my brothers and sisters didn't stay."

His tone softened also. "That was by accident, they didn't want to leave. It was their path. They had to leave in order to return with you the next time because that is your path, to be here."

I was losing. I know I was. All the reasons I thought were logical are becoming irrational, and irrelevant. Fear has clouded my judgement by seeping into my mind at the thought of losing the ones that I love.

"But what if that happens to me? What if I vanish like my siblings did?" There is silence. There is no answer for that question, and Caspian knew it. "Could you really carry on living your life if I just suddenly disappear? You wouldn't know what had happened to me."

His dark brown eyes stared deep into my soul. "But I couldn't live if you left again like last time. I can't live without you. You belong in Narnia. With me." I gazed back at him, not knowing what to say. He had captured me. "If you had the same fate as your brothers and sisters, then you would have been brought to Narnia the first time they came here."

My brain was in overload. My family, would I never see them again? I can't abandon them, but I can't live without Caspian. He is my soulmate. But Peter, Susan…How can I see them in the future? Will I be able to? What would Edmund and Lucy say? Something told me that they somehow already know. …Can I do this? Is this my fate? Can I rule? So many thoughts were going through my mind, all contrasting one another.

However, they all had the same conclusion.

_Caspian was right._

Once again, he stroked a thumb over my cheek. He whispered,

"My Queen."

His words made my mind stop. Just stop. His tone, his voice, his eyes, his lips. I can't live without him. That is not possible. He has made me see reason.

I stepped backwards and smiled. He seemed confused, but noticed my smile.

"Ask me again." I said, butterflies starting to journey around my stomach and chest.

"What do you mean?" He was confused, but excitedly-so.

"Ask me again." I repeated with more enthusiasm, and subtly indicated to the floor.

We stood there, just looking at each other, me waiting, and Caspian trying to figure me out. Once he came to the realisation, the brightest smile came across his face. He didn't move for a few moments. He was looking into my soul, as I was into his. Now I knew.

I watched him as he sunk onto one knee, and reached into his pocket. He didn't break eye contact. He pulled out a small box, and no words were needed. Even as his lips moved to ask me the question, I didn't hear it; I saw it in his eyes.

"Always." I whispered. I moved my left hand forward and he only broke our eye contact to slide the most beautiful ring onto my finger. As he rose, with his best smile, he lifted me up and spun me around, making me laugh.

This was our moment. We had found our moment. He had helped me through my panic, my doubt, and my fear.

This was right. We were right.


	26. Chapter 26

**First of you, can I just apologise a MILLION times for taking so long to update! My life has just been absolutely ****crazy! I had to write a 10,000 word dissertation in my first semester of University and then I graduated in June so that was the first half of my year. Then since June I have been working and saving money to move to London and start my career, so it's all been up in the air this year!**

**But I really hope that this chapter has been worth the wait. We are nearing the end of the this story with only a couple more chapters to go after this one, so I hope it is satisfactory! Please leave a review as these have been motivating me to continue this story as I want to give you all a happy ending!**

**So, read and enjoy! :D**

* * *

***~To Narnia And Back~*~Chapter Twenty Six~*~It's Time~***

I was on the ultimate high once Caspian set me on my feet. That's the only way to describe what my insides were doing. We had shared a passionate kiss, one that I didn't want to ever end. I was finally in the right place, with the right person, and nothing was going to dampen my spirits. That was until I remembered that we were indeed about to face an evil that none of us knew hardly anything about.

"I can't believe that this is happening. If someone had told me this over the past three years, I would have thought they were trying to make me cry." I said, my forehead pressed to Caspian's, my hands on either side of his face.

He grinned brightly at me, leaning down for another kiss. "I never would have believed it either. Although I always hoped."

A bang from above us on deck startled us from our bubble. Caspian's smile faded.

"I hate to say this, but we have to prepare for the last step on our journey."

I nodded, fiddling with the beautiful ring on my finger. As I slowly slipped it off my hand, Caspian stopped me.

"What're you doing?"

"This fight, or battle, or whatever this is going to be, could get bad. I don't want anything to damage this beautiful ring." I held the ring in my palm. "And I also don't want Lucy, Edmund, or anyone to see it just yet. They're going to ask a bunch of questions, and I'll have to explain everything to them, and we need their focus on the task at hand. This can come after."

Caspian waited a beat, and then opened a drawer on the other side of the room, returning with a thin chain. "Here." He threaded the chain through the ring, and fastened the ends together. He then attached the chain to my belt loop, and the ring and chain fell into my pocket. "Now it's all secure, and still with you."

I smiled up at him. "Thank you."

With one last kiss, we made our way back up on deck.

* * *

By early evening, we had arrived just outside the black, thundering cloud of mist that surrounded Dark Island. Caspian had ordered everyone to prepare themselves and the Dawn Treader, so the crew were all gathering their weapons and armour, loading the canons, and keeping an eye on the Island.

I leant on my elbows on the side of the ship, squinting at the danger that lies ahead, but I couldn't see anything other than the mist. What could be in there? An army, imprisoning the innocent lives? Creatures beyond our recollection? Something no one has ever faced before? I'm sure whatever lies beyond we will be able to face, but that doesn't stop my heart sinking into my stomach to cause an uneasy feeling in my gut. What if this is the end of our journey? What if we don't...

Before I could get too deep in my thoughts, I went below deck to suit up. Caspian had managed to find some armour that would fit me, although he wasn't too pleased when I declared that I would be joining in the potential fight. His over-protectiveness still sends butterflies soaring in my stomach. It just adds to the list of reasons that I know staying here with him is my destined path.

I smiled to myself as I walked out of Caspian's bedroom and down the hallway, when his voice stopped me in my tracks. I leant closer to the door to his study area.

"Incase we don't get through, whatever this is, I want you to know that I think of you as my brother, Ed."

"Me too."

The smile grew on my face.

"You gave up your sword." Caspian said.

"It wasn't mine to keep." Edmund responded.

"Use this."

There was a moments pause.

"But it's-"

"Peter would want you to have it."

Is Caspian talking about Peter's sword? I didn't think it was possible to love him even more. He gave Edmund the sword.. I leant against the wall, my smile even bigger. Edmund was finally getting the recognition that he deserves. I was just about to walk away, but upon hearing my name, my ears perked up.

"By the way, as for Alex..." Edmund spoke. "I think you are meant to be together. You should be together."

My heart fluttered. It was a blessing in disguise. I waited a few moments before I entered the room.

"Hey. Everything's all set." I announced, trying to keep my smile at bay. The look in Caspian's eye told me that he was just as affected by Edmund's words as I was.

"Brilliant." Edmund replied. Then he did something totally un-Edmund-like. He crossed the room, and wrapped his arms around me, embracing me tightly. I hugged him back, enjoying his rare act of tenderness.

He pulled away, smiling at me.

"I love you."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I love you too, little bro."

He chuckled, and exited the room. I looked at Caspian, who was also smiling.

"Ready?" He asked.

I nodded. "Ready."

He took my hand, and lead me out of the room.

* * *

Everyone was gathered on deck, all suited up in armour, manned with weapons. Caspian stepped up onto the upper deck, and started to deliver a speech.

"No matter what happens here, every soul who stands before me, has earned their place, in the crew of the Dawn Treader. Together we have travelled far, together we have faced adversity, together we can do it again. So now is not the time to fall for these temptations. Be strong, never give in. Our world, our Narnian lives depend on it." His eyes fell on me. "Think of the lost souls we're here to save. Think of Aslan. Think of Narnia."

Just as he began to descend the steps to join us, the crew raised their voices in cries of "For Narnia!" They chanted it like a mantra, making Caspian stop in his tracks. The look on his face proves just how unsure he has been about his reign, unsure about how the people respond to him as their King.

He has nothing to doubt now.

I grinned up at him as Edmund and Lucy joined in with the crew. Caspian caught my eye, and I gave him a small wink. He grinned back.

Once the crew had calmed down, we started to make our way through the mist, very cautiously. We couldn't see twenty feet in any direction; it was just green fog. It swirled around us in waves, snaking its way through the crew. Everyone was on high alert, their eyes looking in every direction, their weapons raised. I stood next to Caspian, who flinched suddenly when the mist circled around him. He looked intensely at it, as though he could see something in the mist that we couldn't. I was about to question him, when a very familiar voice hissed in my ear.

"We know what you've done."

"You call yourself a part of our family?"

Peter.

Susan.

The green mist had morphed into them on either side of me, both of them trapping me with their glaring eyes. My breathing started to pick up a little bit, the ring in my pocket feeling like a stone weighing me down.

"You chose _him _over your family."

"After all we have done for you...You're a traitor."

"Narnia won't want a traitor for a Queen."

I kept my eyes trained forward in a hard stare, not listening, not giving in. Until another voice joined in.

"Darling."

Peter and Susan had disappeared, and been replaced with my mum and dad. I couldn't tear my eyes away.

"They are right. You are a traitor. Your mother and I are waiting for you back home, yet you choose to remain in this make-believe fantasy world."

My parents looked so disappointed and angry with me.

"I'm ashamed to call you my daughter."

I clamped my hands over my ears and screwed my eyes shut. I will not believe what they are saying. It's not them. It's not them. It just wants to get inside my head. It's not real.

I felt a hand on my waist and I flinched, but calmed once I saw it was Lucy. Edmund had just yelled to the mist, but I couldn't see the form it took, just as I bet the others didn't see what forms the mist took for me. Thankfully.

The crew no longer looked composed, including Caspian. I grabbed his hand. I couldn't offer words at this moment, still trying to shake the words from my family out of my head.

"KEEP AWAY! KEEP AWAY!"

A deep, ragged voice rang out from beyond the mist. Edmund and Caspian regained their royal poise.

"Who's there?!" Edmund called out.

"We do not fear you!" Caspian stood at the edge of the deck, still gripping my hand.

"Nor I you!" The voice responded.

Edmund got out his torch and shined it into the distance. There was a man, sword raised in the air. The archers in our crew took their aim.

"Caspian, his sword!"

Recognition, and relief, flashed in Caspian's eyes. "Lord Roupe!" He let go of my hand and descended the steps. "Men, stand down! Let's get him on board."

The Lord was not having it. He started backing up towards the rock fixture behind him. Just as the crew were about to throw ropes to assist him on getting on board, Eustace swooped down from above, wrapped his giant claws around the Lord, and delicately dropped him onto the deck. The Lord started yelling and swinging his sword around, clearly threatened by the situation. Caspian held an arm out in front of me when the Lord became too out of control, but stood up tall.

"Be calm, my Lord. We are not here to hurt you. I am your King, Caspian."

The Lord froze. He lowered his sword and turned to look Caspian in the eye.

"Caspian?" He approached Caspian. "My Lord, you should not have come. There's no way out of here!" He turned in circles, motioning to the whole crew. "Quickly, turn this ship about before it's too late!"

Edmund indicated the sword. "We have the sword, let's go!"

"Let's turn her about, Drinian!" Caspian ordered.

"Ey ey, Your Majesty."

Haste is one way to describe what happened next. The crew practically flew to their positions on deck, while I grabbed Lucy and Gael and led them to Drinian, who was manning the wheel. However, it wasn't going to be as easy as that.

"Do not think!" The Lord advanced on Caspian, fear in his eyes. "Do not let it know your fears, or it will become them!"

"Oh no..."

Panic surged through me as I looked at Edmund, who had dashed to the edge of the ship, looking out into the distance.

"Edmund, what did you think of?!" I spoke up for the first time.

"I'm sorry!"

After a moment of tension, the ship jerked violently, throwing everyone to the floor. I jumped to my feet, and looked towards the mist. I squinted my eyes, trying to seeing further into the distance. All I could see were rocks...

"it's too late!" The Lord shouted from somewhere behind me.

There was something not quite right about the image in front of me. I'm sure there was another rock breaking the surface of the water not too long ago...

Just as I was about to voice the thought, a massive sea serpent reared up out of the water, screeching so maliciously that I had to throw my hand over my mouth to stop from screaming. Exclaims came from all around me, the crew shocked and stunned. Caspian dived in front of me and forced me backwards, while I gripped his shirt, gaping at the serpent.

"Men! Aim your weapons!" Caspian commanded.

The crew responded instantly, but before they could fire, a huge blast of actual flaming fire plummeted down from the sky, hitting the serpent square in the face. Eustace followed suit, throwing himself onto the serpent and attacking.

"Eustace, don't!" I yelled, trying to force my way forward, but Caspian held me back. The serpent and Eustace battled, but the serpent had the mightier strength, sinking it's teeth into Eustace's tail and slamming him against the rocks. As Eustace weakened, trying to fight back with fire, a sword flew through the air and sunk itself into Eustace's scales. He roared, and out of terror, flew off into the distance. Lucy and Edmund shout for him, but he doesn't respond.

He is gone.

Grunts pulled my attention to the wheel, and I saw Lord Roupe trying to wrestle the wheel for himself, but Drinian knocked him out with a blow to the back of the head. He gripped the wheel, looking mighty.

"Men, to your rowing positions! Oars at full speed!"

The men respond, and almost immediately, we were sailing out towards the open, mist-less sea.

Caspian pulled me into his arms, holding onto me tightly. "Are you okay?"

I nodded into his shoulder, taking a shaky breath. "Yeah, I'm fine, I was more scared for everyone els-"

A deafening crash of breaking wood penetrated the air, throwing everything off balance, sending Caspian and I cascading to the ground. Another ear-splitting screech wailed through the air when the serpent crashed into the Dawn Treader for the second time, wrapping its body around the deck. Caspian grabbed my arm and hauled me up to the top deck, commanding me not to move, while he then turned back to the serpent, sword raised. But I wasn't one to sit back and watch the people that I love and care for get hurt. While Edmund, Caspian and the crew were battling with the serpent, trying to disentangle it from the ship, I located Lucy and Gael crouched in a corner.

"Lucy, Gael, get up! Quickly!" I pulled them both to their feet, shielding them as much as I could while we stumbled towards the double doors to the lower decks. I didn't stop urging them down the corridors until we reached Caspian's cabin.

"Gael, stay here until someone comes to get you!" Lucy told Gael, and she huddled herself at the foot of the bed, gripping the bedpost as the ship rocked back and forth violently from the sudden loss of the serpents weight. I gathered my bow and arrow, slinging the sheath over my shoulder and gripping the bow tightly. Looking out of the window, I saw a huge wave crash into the side, indicating that the serpent had dived underneath the waters surface. The men must be putting up a great fight.

Lucy grabbed Susan's bow and arrow from the side, but I grabbed her before she could run past me. "Whoa, you need to stay here too."

She looked at me incredulously. "What on earth do you mean? Of course I'm not staying down here!"

"I cannot have you in that kind of danger, Lucy! That serpent is-"

"Alex, no. I have fought in many battles that are twice as bad as this one, and I was a young girl! I can do this!" She stood up taller, clutching the bow. "We can do this."

Suddenly, I wasn't seeing my little baby sister anymore; I was seeing the woman she has become. The determination in her eyes was fierce, and her chin was held high. I couldn't help but give a small, proud smile. I touched my bow to hers, and she mirrored my smile.

"Let's do this, my sister."

To say that it was chaos on deck would be an understatement. Everyone was in five places at once; trying to keep the serpent at bay with harpoons and ropes, Drinian trying to dodge the rocks and lead the ship out of the mist, Caspian giving out commands whilst running around, and the serpent was cascading around the ship, snapping and screeching. Lucy ran onto the top deck, whilst I made my way over to the bow of the ship, dodging broken wood and weapons flying through the air. I lost my footing on a growing lake of water that had taken over the surface of the ship, throwing my hands out to catch me. A wave then crashed over the edge, soaking me to the bone, but I flipped my hair out of my eyes and sprinted to the bow of the ship. If I could just get some height...

It was at that moment that I noticed Edmund was balancing on the bow, torch shining, the serpent attacking him.

"Edmund!"

It was too noisy for him to hear me. There was no use trying to help him, the bow would be too unsteady with two of us on there. The serpent was tearing at the bow with its teeth, shattering the wood, coming closer and closer to my brother...

I drew an arrow, attached it to my bow, and took aim. The ship had gentled its rocking, letting me keep my balance. I released the arrow, and it sank right into the serpents left eye. Screeching filled the air once more, but I raced forwards, reaching over the bow to grab at Edmund. He gripped my hand and I helped him up, pulling him to safety. I hugged him tight, breathing hard.

"That was so scary, Ed."

"I wasn't sure how much longer I could've held on for. Good shot."

"I learned from the best."

We scanned the rest of the ship, seeing that Caspian and the crew were gathering ropes, when out of nowhere, the ship lurched to one side, throwing Edmund and I off of our feet. I crashed into the side of the ship, a piece of loose wood digging into my back. The pain made me cry out and see stars, a throbbing developing by my hip. Edmund tried to help me up, but I just whimpered in pain.

"No, I'm okay." I looked into his eyes with determination. "You have to kill it, Ed. I believe in you."

He looked around at the serpent, which was now rearing up at the crew members who had assembled on deck, all sporting harpoons, with Caspian among them.

"I need to get up high..." His eyes lit up. "The mast!"

"Go!" I urged, and with one last look, he took off, weaving through the wreckage on deck, and furiously ascending the main mast.

As I grabbed the edge of the ship, trying to keep myself from sliding around, I felt my back for any blood. My hand was clean, but the pain still sent shooting sensations up my spine at sudden movements. As I grimaced from a particularly sharp throb, I heard my name being called and a person sink to my side. Lucy.

"I'm fine, Lu. I just hit my back."

Another screech penetrated the air, diverting our attention to the serpent. Caspian and the crew had sunk several harpoons into the serpents scales, and were trying to pull it down to the deck, trying to keep it under control.

At that moment, Lucy rose to her feet, and drew an arrow, attaching it to the string. She took a deep breath and took her stance, fire gleaming in her eyes as she stared at the serpent. I watched as the arrow soared through the air, and took residence in the serpents head, right between its eyes.

"Fantastic, Lucy!"

She grinned at me, and I looked at her with pride. My little sister truly is a warrior Queen.

The arrow had some effect in making the serpent a little dazed, but then it reared up with might, and the ropes binding it were snapped, tossing the crew in all directions Caspian among them. I felt that this was the finale. It was now or never; we had to take that creature down, otherwise we won't be seeing daylight again. Ignoring the pain in my back, I staggered to my feet, with Lucy helping me. My heart was starting to pound more fiercely, but I wasn't sure if it was the physical pain I was feeling, or the fear for my people on this ship.

Upon this thought, I froze. Did I really just..?

My people. _My_ people.

A deafening crash and screech disallowed me to ponder any further. I looked up, and saw a blue glow emitting from Peter's sword. It was sunk deep into the serpent's mouth, Edmund having stabbed it. The serpent met its end, falling back into the sea with a crash, final waves colliding with the ship. I took a moment to look up at Edmund, who was still wielding the glowing sword. That's my brother. I smiled as the thought warmed my heart. My brother.

Light started to break through the clouds and mist, bringing life back into the present. I had forgotten what the sun felt like.

"The spell, it's lifting!" Lucy said.

I turned to the lower deck, and upon locating Caspian, raced as well as my back would allow to his side. I dropped to my knees and cradled his head.

"Caspian." I whispered, searching his eyes for any kind of pain.

He looked up at me with relief, and something else; adoration. His fingers traced my cheeks, making my eyes swim with tears. My face broke into a watery smile, and with nothing to stop me, I leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on his lips, not caring who saw this time.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Are you?"  
"Not anymore. The battle is won." His hand dropped to my pocket, feeling for the ring. I felt his fingers roll the band between his fingers. "And you are safe, here, with me. Nothing else matters." My smile grew into a grin, feeling so much relief, and tension leave my body after much too long. We had defeated the darkness. But I hadn't missed the double meaning in his words. I am here, with him.

Lucy called our attention to the edge of the ship, and looking out into the distance, we saw small boats appearing out of the mist, all filled with people.

The lost souls. Narnians.

Rhince and Gael jumped into the water and swam towards them, calling out for their found family member. My heart gave a pang upon seeing this. I long to see my mother and father once again.

"Let's have them on board! Clear the decks!" Caspian announced.

I came to stand by Lucy and Edmund, with Caspian joining us moments later.

"We did it. I knew we would." Lucy said, and I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It wasn't just us though." Edmund spoke up.

I then heard a voice that had been missing for much too long.

"I'm down here, Lucy. In the water! Lucy!" We approached the edge, leaning further over the side in pursuit of the voice. "I'm a boy again! I'm a boy!"

Eustace. There he was, grinning without restraint, treading water as a boy once again.

Reepicheep appeared on my shoulder. "Eustace! I see your wings have been clipped!" Reep then jumped into the water, joining Eustace in friendly banter. I looked into the distance for a moment, when something caught my eye. I squinted and unconsciously leaned forward, trying to get a better look.

I pointed it out to Caspian.

"Aslan's Country. Must be close."

"But I thought Aslan's Country was too far for anyone to sail to?" I said.

"It's possible to sail to, it's just that no one has ever sailed _this_ far." Caspian said.

"Well, we _have_ come this far. What's a little more distance?" And upon Edmund's words, we piled into a small boat; Lucy, Caspian, Eustace, Reepicheep, Edmund and I.

Edmund and Caspian rowed us through pond lilies towards Aslan's Country. It was like a whole other world out here. It was so beautiful. I had never been to a place back in our world that even came close to this one. I don't think there even is a place that would even compare to the aesthetic life of Narnia.

As the others started to converse about Eustace as a dragon, I found myself lost in my own mind. We had achieved so much in such a small amount of time. It was hard to believe that we had changed lives, and saved so many lives. We had completed our journey, but my mission must continue. And I have a feeling that this is going to be the toughest yet.

"My friends, we have arrived." Reepicheep announced.

We stepped onto the beach, and approached a mighty tidal wave. The beach continued far into the distance in both directions; there was nothing else around.

"Aslan." Eustace cut into the silence.

There he was. The magnificent Aslan himself.

"Welcome, children. You have done well, very well indeed. You have come far, but now your journey is at its end."

"Is this your country?" Lucy asked.

"No, my country lies beyond."

I willed my eye to sight something over the top of the wave, but it was too high. All I could see were blue skies.

"Is my father in your country?" Caspian asked, turning to Aslan.

"You can only find that out for yourself, my Son." Caspian took a step forward. "You should know that if you continue, there is no return."

Caspian slowly approached the tidal wave, and I am ashamed to admit that my heart sunk into my stomach unpleasantly at the thought of him not returning. He held out his hand in the upward stream, and the water continued to soar towards the sky. After a moment that felt far too long, he dropped his hand and turned back to us. His eyes were glistening, but his expression was hard, strong.

"You're not going?" Edmund asked.

"I can't imagine my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for. I've spent too long thinking about what was taken from me and not what was given. I was given a Kingdom, people...a Queen." He looked at me, and I smiled, tears swimming in my eyes. After his smile mirrored mine, he turned back to Aslan, his demeanour that of a Ruler. "I promise to be a better King."

"You already are."

Aslan then locked eyes with me. "Now is the time, my dear one."

I closed my eyes, feeling everyone's gazes on me. I knew this moment was inevitable, but no amount of time or words were going to make this easier. The sound of rushing water forced me to open my eyes, and what I saw hit me so hard that I took a step backwards on instinct.

A type of portal opened up in the tidal wave, and Peter and Susan emerged. My jaw went slack while Lucy and Edmund raced to them and engulfed them in hugs. I haven't seen Peter and Susan in a long time due to the war, and it took me a moment to fully realise that they were real. This wasn't some illusion.

After Caspian and Eustace had greeted them, I joined in the hugs, gripping onto my siblings tightly.

"I can't believe you're here!" Lucy exclaimed, not letting go of them.

"I can't...How are you guys..." I swallowed and found my words, turning to Aslan. "How did you do that? I thought the other worlds were frozen in time when we're here. How did they get through?"

"You forget my power, dear one." Aslan smiled at me, and that was all the explanation I needed as I admired him with awe.

"I don't understand." Susan spoke up. "Why were we brought here? I thought our time was up?"

Aslan looked to me with a smile on his mighty face. It is time.

I stood still for a moment, while my siblings looked at me expectantly. Sensing that I had something very important to voice, Eustace and Caspian stepped back to give us space. I felt my heart break, slowly, piece by piece crumbling, as I tried to figure out how to tell them. There is no good way to tell them. They are my family, and I know that I will break each of their hearts with my words, no matter how softly they are spoken.

I have to be brave, strong.

I stood in front of them, nervously clutching my hands together. I looked each one of them in the face, and found my voice.

"I..." I swallowed thickly, trying to squash down the lump in my throat. "I'm staying here. I've finally...found the place where I belong. Here, in Narnia, as Caspian's Queen." I glanced at Caspian, and saw a mixture of pain and love in his eyes. He knows how much this hurts me to tell my family. "The three years I spent apart from him, I lost myself. You guys all saw how I was. I didn't know who I was, I didn't know what I wanted to do. But only one thing was for sure; I needed to get back to Caspian. It was all I ever wanted. It still is all I ever want to do. I can't go back to the person I was without him. I want, and need, to be by his side for the rest of my life."

Shock, sadness, pain, longing, and disbelief were etched upon each of their faces. And I had caused that. My heart broke all over again.

I found myself starting to cry, but I know I had to stay strong. For them.

Tears started to fall down Lucy's face. "But-but we're-" She put her hand over her mouth as she tried to hide her sobbing. I felt a vicious tug in my heart, and I could no longer refrain from wrapping my little sister in a tight hug. She grabbed me in return and started to cry into my shoulder.

My voice started to crack. "You know how much I love you. All of you. I'm not doing this to hurt you. I know it seems selfish, and it seems wrong, and it's as though I'm abandoning you after everything you have done for me-"

Peter then cut in.

"No, it's not like that at all."

I looked over at him. He was on the verge of tears, a sight that I had only seen a handful of times in my life. But his warm smile gave me hopeful butterflies in my stomach. "Looks like you've finally found your purpose for being brought here. And I am so proud of you."

I brought my lips into a smile, but a sob escaped me. Edmund was also smiling proudly. Susan had water streaks down her face, but amongst the sadness in her eyes, I saw joy. Joy that I had found myself.

I released my hold on Lucy, wiping her tears.

"I love you all so much." I said to them all. I couldn't control my emotions any longer, and so I let myself fall apart, sobbing without dignity. Susan immediately hugged me tight, the other three joining in after.

This was a moment that none of us were ever going to forget. I never wanted this moment to end. I can't say goodbye now. I just can't.

I pulled back from the hug, all of us with tear-strained faces.

"I don't want this to be the end." I looked to Aslan, silently communicating with my eyes. He gave a slight nod of his head, seeming to understand what I was pleading in my gaze. I turned back to my siblings, those hopeful butterflies causing a tsunami inside me. "Will you come back to Cair Paravel with us? If you feel that your time in Narnia is up, then please just come for a small amount of time. I don't want this to be goodbye. I can't have this be goodbye." I could feel the pain returning, so I tried to lighten the mood. "Besides, I have to walk down an aisle in a white gown and they've got to put a crown on my head and I don't think I can do either of those crazily scary things without you all by my side. It wouldn't seem real without you all there."

I had brought smiles to all of their faces.

"We wouldn't miss it for anything." Susan said, her grin lighting up her eyes.

"Besides, if you ever got married without Lu and Susan as your bridesmaids, you would never hear the end of it." Edmund chimed in, making us all laugh.

I felt a hand rest on the small of my back, and I knew it was Caspian.

"If I recall, it is my duty to ask for the blessing of those closest to my Love." He smiled at me before turning to my siblings. "Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy. Do I have your blessing to love, honour, and protect your sister for the rest of my life?"

The men shook hands, while Lucy and Susan gave hugs to Caspian, each uttering a personal 'Yes'.

"I think it's time we make it official."

He then reached into my pocket, and slipped the ring from its chain. He got down on one knee once again, although this time, he didn't utter a single word; he simply gazed into my eyes as he placed the ring on my finger. I grinned at him as he stood, sweetly pecked my lips, and rested his forehead against mine.

I had finally found where I belong.


End file.
